The foreign policy positions of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), which already have generated concern in the Jewish community, might remain a topic of debate for another several years after poll results indicating he will be a significant factor in the 2016 presidential race.
Paul in mid-March won a presidential straw poll of 3,000 Conservative Political Action Conference participants, edging out Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 25 percent to 23 percent. In January, the Republicans appointed Paul to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Like his father, 2012 presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), the younger Paul has drawn some Jewish criticism due to his opposition of all foreign aid, including military aid to Israel.
Aaron Keyak, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, called Paul’s appointment to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee “absurd” and said the position gave him “a bigger microphone and a prominent platform.”
“He represents a foreign policy perspective that, for friends of Israel and those who want to prevent and not contain Iran achieving nuclear weapons capability, is highly troubling,” Keyak said.
Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who traveled with Paul to Israel in January, said the senator “had a very good meeting with the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu]. On numerous occasions, he expressed support for Israel.”
Hoenlein believes Paul has “elected a more nuanced position on aid regarding Israel as opposed to others he would like to cut off.” Paul did, however, specifically speak in Israel about “phasing out” aid to the Jewish state, Hoenlein noted.
Barry Slotnick, the New York defense attorney, acknowledged Paul is “a force to be reckoned with” but said his position on foreign aid is “a minor minority in Congress.”
“Do I think he counts? Ultimately, I do not,” Slotnick said.
Asked why he thought mainstream Republicans decided to place Paul on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Slotnick responded, “Without question … so that he will not shine — and he will not shine.”
Keyak does not buy the theory that the Republican intent was to put Paul’s marginal views on display, comparing it to “putting a piece a piece of challah on your [Passover] seder plate to show your household is kosher.”