RJC Announces 11 House Endorsements
Washington, DC (December 20, 2023) – Today, the Republican Jewish Coalition announced eleven House endorsements for the 2024 election cycle. RJC released the following statement from National Chairman Senator Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks:
The RJC is excited to endorse Mazi Pilip in the special election in NY-03 and we are proud to endorse these great incumbent Republican House members: Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-01), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), John Duarte (CA-13), David Valadao (CA-22), Mike Garcia (CA-27), Ken Calvert (CA-41), Michelle Steel (CA-45), John James (MI-10), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05).
This is an outstanding group of strong Republicans in competitive, important races. They are leaders who will fight for America’s freedom, security, and prosperity, and they support our ally, Israel.
The candidates we are endorsing today are must-wins for 2024, both because of their tremendous talent and dedication and because their elections are key to a Republican majority in the House.
Mazi Pilip (NY-03 Special) has a truly inspiring story: an Ethiopian Jew from a small village whose family was rescued to Israel in 1991, she was educated in Israel and served as a paratrooper in the Israeli Defense Forces. Now a proud American, Pilip won election to New York’s Nassau County Legislature. In November of 2023, she won reelection by a 20-point margin in the Democrat-majority district.
Winning the special election for the battleground seat that opened up after former Rep. George Santos' expulsion is critical to maintaining the GOP majority in the House of Representatives, and as antisemitism continues to spike across the country, electing candidates like Mazi Pilip is more important than ever.
David Schweikert (AZ-01), whose legislative focus is on fiscal issues, has demonstrated staying power in his Scottsdale-based seat since winning election by beating a Democrat incumbent in 2010 – even as his district has moved toward Democrats in presidential, gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. But Democrats are promising that they will make this his toughest race yet. It would be a real setback for the Jewish community if Schwiekert were replaced by a typical Democrat. After Hamas attacked Israelis on October 7th, Schweikert quickly spoke out in solidarity with the Jewish state and called for “unwavering” support for Israel’s self-defense. Within days, he introduced a bill to take the $6 billion the Biden administration wanted to send to Iran and redirect it to Israel.
Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) has lived the American Dream. Born in Mexico, he came to the U.S. with his family at a very young age. The first in his family to graduate from college, he established himself as a leader with the Tucson Chamber of Commerce before becoming the point man on immigration issues for former Governor Doug Ducey. Since winning a close election to flip this seat to the GOP in 2022, the border-district freshman has emerged as a key participation in immigration policy debates. Democrats believe Ciscomani's victory was a fluke and he faces a rematch with the opponent he narrowly defeated last time out.
John Duarte (CA-13) The 2022 race pitting farmer and agriculture advocate Duarte against Democrat state legislator Adam Gray was the last one decided in the 2022 cycle. Duarte prevailed by just 564 votes. Now Gray is back for a rematch and Duarte expects an even tougher race in a district where Biden beat Trump by almost 11 percent. Reclaiming this seat is a key part of Democrats’ plan to regain the majority in the House of Representatives.
David Valadao (CA-22), who is serving his fifth term in the House, has never had an easy race in a district where Biden outpolled Trump by 13 percent. 2024 might end up being his toughest race yet – a rematch against the 2022 opponent who he narrowly defeated. From a pro-Israel point of view, Valadao is rock solid – a reliable vote and a clarion voice of solidarity with the Jewish state. As a member of the powerful Appropriations committee, Valadao delivers for his district’s massive agriculture sector – which is critical for holding this very difficult seat.
Mike Garcia (CA-27), a decorated Navy pilot, has won three tough races despite being in a district where Biden beat Trump by 12.4%. But 2024 will be his toughest test yet. Garcia has been an outspoken leader on national security and other topics of concern to Jewish Americans. He fought to increase pay for American service members. He forcefully rejected the Democrat proposal to put conditions on U.S. assistance for Israel. And he spoke out strongly against the Biden administration scheme to provide the Iranian regime with a $6 billion windfall.
Ken Calvert (CA-41) As the senior Republican member of the California House delegation, Ken Calvert has risen to a position of significant influence as the Chairman of the powerful Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The bill Calvert sponsored ensures GOP priorities will be included for the first time in years and provides $500 million for U.S.-Israel missile defense. At the same time, Calvert is in political peril because of California Democrats’ partisan redistricting. The wealthy and very liberal J Street-endorsed opponent who nearly defeated Calvert in 2022 is running again.
Michelle Steel (CA-45) was born in Korea, then embraced the American Dream in the Golden State and emerged as a leader for citizens fed up with high taxes and ever-growing government. Since winning election to the House in 2020, Steel has become a key player on the powerful Ways and Means committee. Steel, whose staff is led by the first Hasidic Jew ever to serve in the Chief of Staff role, has been a staunch ally to the Jewish community. The House recently passed Steel’s bill to combat foreign influence and antisemitism on American college campuses. Steel is also the author of legislation to extend sanctions on Iran and a bill to make future U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority contingent on the PA renouncing terrorism.
John James (MI-10) is a West Point graduate who flew combat missions for the Army in Iraq. He’s a businessman who created hundreds of good-paying jobs. And he's a high-impact member of the House GOP's majority-making class of 2022 who won attention for his sharp questions to college presidents at a December hearing on antisemitism. In addition to serving on the education committee, James attends to his Macomb-county district's infrastructure needs on the Transportation committee and chairs the Africa subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. His first election was close and his bid for a second term is expected to be even closer in a state that is also a key presidential and Senate battleground. A staunch Israel ally, James visited the Jewish state on a solidarity mission in the aftermath of Hamas' October 7th rampage.
Don Bacon (NE-02) Before he was elected to Congress in 2016, Don Bacon served in the Air Force for 30 years, winning numerous honors and attaining the rank of Brigadier General. He’s enhanced his national security credentials while in Congress as a leader on the Armed Services Committee and one of the most reliable and passionate pro-Israel voices in the Republican conference. Despite being a perennial Democrat target, he’s prevailed against well-funded challengers because his mainstream conservative views are a good fit for his Omaha-based district. RJC PAC has backed all of Don Bacon’s campaigns because he is an exemplary Congressman and we’re proud to do so again in 2024.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) Her 2022 victory was the first blue-to-red flip in Oregon since 1994. Since her election, she has focused on her district’s agriculture and transportation needs, as well as education issues. Her likeliest Democrat opponent this cycle is the same person she defeated in 2022: J Street-endorsed progressive firebrand Jamie McLeod-Skinner. The contrast between the pragmatic and practical Republican and the Democrat backed by the hard left Working Families Party could not be clearer.