Jewish Republicans Turn Out for Kemp & Graham

It was standing room only in City Springs on Sept. 30 when greeters handed out red suede Trump kippahs to close to 200 mostly seniors who came to hear Sen. Lindsay Graham and Gov. Brian Kemp head the Republican Jewish Coalition topic, “Israel at the Crossroads.” The two were in conversation with former Minnesota Senator and Minneapolis mayor Norm Coleman.

A video was shown that labeled the Democratic ticket as “soft on crime” and allowing campus protests to fuel.”

Local RJC Chair Chuck Berk kicked off the event by praising Kemp for being an outstanding governor, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and helping pass the Hate Crimes Bill, and more locally, establishing the new Anne Frank Center in Sandy Springs. In addressing Graham, Berk said, “No one in D.C. understands the Middle East more to provide clarity.”

Kemp drew applause when he spoke of his low tolerance for property destruction at the police training center and college campuses. Kemp stated that he wrote a letter to Sen. Chuck Schumer putting pressure on him for allowing antisemitism to flourish.

Graham echoed, “This is a tough time to be Jewish. [They] don’t have the right to ruin someone else’s college experience. It seems the better you play football, the stronger you are for Israel.”

The most encouraging and proactive conversation was Graham’s efforts to form an alliance between Saudi Arabia and Israel as partners for peace. He revealed that he had visited there seven times since Oct. 7 and was scheduled to return soon for the eighth trip. He stated, “The prince has trillions and wants to be the A.I. center of the world. Normalization with Israel would be good for business, along with the Abraham Accords. Now antisemitism has pulled the bandage back. Don’t tell me Israel wants war. The Arabs are moving towards the light.”

He wants the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration to quit asking Israel to appease. “Israel will keep fighting until the last person is standing.”

He fervently believes that the way to sustaining peace is re-educating the young Muslims to stop being taught hate. “Palestinian youth need choices for a better life. The IDF cannot occupy Gaza and change their school systems … I’m not going to Saudi Arabia for my health. I’m meeting with MBS and MBZ where we have the best chance of closing a deal.”

Kemp spoke of his family trip to Israel confirming Israel’s importance to the world by bringing technology like cybersecurity. Graham recalled his hard scrabble background raised by parents who owned a pool hall. He said, “If someone wants to cut your throat, you don’t buy them a knife … It’s insane … [Dems] gave Iran billions. Harris’ ideas are bat s**t … Iran needs to be put back into the box.  Blow up their oil refineries and hope that Iranians have a better life. Trump will have Israel’s back.”

Kemp commented on the “insanity” of having such high interest payments on the national debt. “Money we should be spending on ships and airplanes and how can Biden take credit for lowering inflation that he caused?”

Graham intimated that he advised Trump to talk about policy and not himself. “Trump is smart, but unpredictable. I’d rather have Trump in a rowboat pitted against Obama and Biden and the whole U.S. Army.”

Kemp had the last word. “You may not like Trump personally, but big policy decisions matter … who will be the U.S. Attorney General and stop people trying to burn down college campuses, who will be in the cabinet, who’s going to cut the EPA/Energy Department red tape?”

The audience roared with applause with the mention of Kemp’s potential run for the U.S. Senate.

Daniel Regenstein, Chief of Staff, Georgia Department of Administrative Services, told the AJT, “As Gov. Kemp said, when the anti-Israel protestors came to Georgia campuses, he ordered authorities to ‘lock their a***s up.’ We need more leaders like him … It was great to see so many in the Jewish community turn out to support Gov. Kemp and the Republican ticket. I think more Jewish voters are starting to realize that it’s the Republicans who are supporting Israel, fighting antisemitism, and defending the Jewish community, against our enemies, both foreign and domestic.”

Before the event, local supporter Dr. Zane Pollard, holding a Trump sign in Hebrew, said, “Republicans are for Israel, and Israel is the most important thing.”

Harry Bloch noted, “I came to hear Graham talk about doing the right thing and getting rid of terrorism. It reminds me of the movie, ‘A Few Good Men.’”

Melvin Everson, a former Georgia State Representative, stated, “I believe in the Biblical word of Israel belong to the Jews, and that’s what my pastor preaches.”

Dr. Karol Gildiner related, “As an American citizen, I want us to support Israel to do what any self-respecting nation would have the courage to do.”

Retired Air Force member Ted Bachman concluded, “I love America and am 100 percent Zionistic. Today, we will see our strength. If the current regime stays in place ‘Goodbye, Israel.’”