We’ve covered the southern California face-off between Jewish Democratic Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman.
We’ve also noted how in ways subtle and not so, the House leadership has indicated it favors Berman, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
And how both congressmen are vying hard for pro-Israel money.
So it all comes together today in this statement from Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House Minority whip, ahead of a vote urging the U.S. government to prevent a nuclear Iran and not simply contain it:
I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for his leadership on this issue. Rep. Howard Berman has been the leader in Congress when it comes to reminding us how important it is to prevent the rise of a nuclear Iran. He has been instrumental in securing funding for the deployment of the ‘Iron Dome’ anti-missile system to counter the threat from Iranian-supplied short-range rockets in the hands of terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Note this is how Hoyer starts — and by praising Berman for legislation not directly related to the bill at hand.
Not a formal endorsement — leaders don’t endorse in primaries, as a rule (although Hoyer endorsed Brad Schneider in IL10) — but close.
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