Congressman Jim Moran won his Virginia district primary from Democratic challenger lawyer Andrew Rosenberg, who had charged Moran was anti-Semitic for statements he had made prior to the Iraq War. In March 2003, Moran said at an antiwar forum in Virginia that American Jews were pushing the country into war with Iraq. The remark infuriated American Jewish leaders and some House Democrats and forced Moran to give up a leadership post in the House Democratic Caucus. It also led to this heated primary election.
Moran said the primary âbecame a referendum on meâ and did not deal with political issues. Throughout the campaign, Rosenberg hammered at Moranâs ethics and raised questions about his personal judgments. Rosenberg also sought to define himself as the true liberal in the race, calling Moran a âconservative, big-businessâ Democrat. Moran, a former professional boxer, fought back saying Rosenbergâs lobbying work represented pharmaceutical companies and called him a friend of business interests. Moranâs advisers said his victory margin, 59 percent, was also eroded by an allegation launched days before the primary by Moranâs former pollster, Alan Secrest, who charged Moran made an anti-Semitic remark during a private campaign meeting in March. Oddly, Secrest would not disclose what Moran said. Moran and two other advisers who were also in the room said the accusation was untrue. Despite the fact that Secrest refused to reveal the specifics of his charge, Secrestâs accusation hurt the seven-term Democratic congressman. |