St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman Defeats Dennis Hancock By 34 Points

Democrat Jake Zimmerman defeated Republican Dennis Hancock on November 3 to become the next St. Louis County executive. Zimmerman, the county's longtime assessor, captured 66% of the vote against Hancock's 32%. The result was reported with 153 of the county's 200 polling places in. Zimmerman will assume the role following the retirement of Sam Page, who did not seek reelection.

The victory represents a political return for Zimmerman, who lost to Page in the 2020 Democratic primary. He has served as county assessor since 2011, when he became the first person elected to that specific position. Before taking on the assessor role, Zimmerman served in the Missouri House of Representatives and as an assistant Missouri attorney general.

Zimmerman is an attorney and a lifelong resident of St. Louis County. He is a member of the local Jewish community, a demographic that saw candidates win races nationwide during the midterm elections. The national results included victories for Jewish candidates in governorships and congressional seats across multiple states.

In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection easily. Ossoff identifies as pro-Israel but supports restricting certain weapons sales and has criticized the current administration. His win, along with the victories of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, strengthens their positions as potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser also won his gubernatorial race according to AP projections.

Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, described the campaign season as deeply painful for the American Jewish community. In a post on X, he stated that the community has been told it does not belong in political spaces. Deutch noted that when activists spoke out against candidates using antisemitic rhetoric, they were brushed aside. He added that expressing a connection to Israel or Zionism often meant candidates were not seen as allies.

Initial exit polls from NBC News indicated that 67% of Jewish voters favored Democrats, a split consistent with recent political cycles. This suggests Democrats have retained their historically loyal constituency. However, tension persisted in Michigan, where Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed's anti-Israel stance created turmoil among local Jewish voters and national Democrats.

Democrats are positioned to flip the Republican-led House of Representatives and may gain control of the Senate. A shift in the House would expand the number of Democrats who are critical of Israel. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan won reelection, while other candidates who reject Israel's existence as a Jewish state could increase the count from one to four in the House and one in the Senate.

In New York, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier won their districts. Both are strong Israel critics, with Chevalier having led Columbia pro-Palestinian student protests. They ran alongside Micah Lasher, a pro-Israel Democrat replacing Jerry Nadler, and Ritchie Torres, who was also reelected. In Florida, Republican Senator Ashley Moody defeated Democrat Angie Nixon. Moody, a staunch Israel supporter endorsed by AIPAC and President Trump, said she wants the U.S. to be the most pro-Israel country in the world.

Trump stated on Tuesday morning that defense assistance for Israel would soon end because it has become an electoral burden for Republicans. In the Senate, Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control from the current Republican majority of 53 seats. Competitive races are underway in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Kansas.

The Michigan Senate race features El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed refused to state at a debate whether Israel or Iran poses a bigger threat to the United States. AIPAC backed Rogers in an effort to defeat El-Sayed. In Maine, Troy Jackson, a former Senate leader who opposes giving Israel a blank check, is challenging incumbent Susan Collins. Collins has supported Israel throughout her 29-year tenure.

In Texas, James Talarico is competing against Ken Paxton in the Senate race. Paxton, a hard-line Trump ally and former state attorney general, supports Israel and opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Talarico, a Presbyterian seminary student, supports defensive aid to Israel but opposes offensive weapons transfers. In the House, Democrats need a net gain of three seats to reach a majority of 218 in the 435-member body.