Cantor elected House majority leader

WASHINGTON – Republican members of the US House of Representatives elected Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) their majority leader in the next Congress.

Cantor won the election uncontested on Wednesday evening, paving the way for him to become one of the highest-ranking Jews in US government history. When the 112th Congress convenes in January, Cantor will be the second-ranked member of the House after the likely speaker, Rep. John Boehner (R-Va.). That would make Cantor the highest-ranking Jew in congressional history.
It is difficult to assess the relative power of senior positions across the three branches of US government — the legislature, the executive branch and the judiciary. There have been numerous Jewish associate justices of the Supreme Court, and a number of Jews have occupied senior Cabinet posts, including secretaries of state, defense and treasury.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the outgoing House speaker, was elected minority leader this week in a 150-43 vote.

As a party leader, Pelosi made Jewish outreach a priority, designating Reva Price, a senior adviser and former executive of a number of Jewish organisations, as her point person.

JTA