Nothing could bring me more joy than to see Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) go down for his spewing anti-Trump nonsense concerning the Russian collusion hoax. That effort has been pervasive, but he’s also in a Superfortress Democratic congressional district that will not see a new member until Mr. Nadler dies or retires. He’s a congressman for life in the 12th district of New York. But former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who flipped on his former boss, Donald Trump, is reportedly mulling a challenge to Nadler (via Politico):
Michael Cohen, one of Donald Trump’s most prominent former lawyers and now critic who spent more than a year in jail for campaign finance violations and fraud, is considering a long-shot bid for a deep-blue Manhattan congressional district.
Cohen would run as a Democrat for New York’s 12th congressional district, he confirmed to POLITICO, which is currently held by Rep. Jerry Nadler. But any run to topple the 31-year incumbent would be difficult, given Nadler’s longtime status in the area and deep support among powerful Jewish communities in his district.
[…]
The former lawyer worked for Trump for more than a decade, doing stints in the Trump Organization, the Trump 2016 campaign and at the RNC. Cohen was sentenced to federal prison in December 2018 after he pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and related crimes that stemmed from his time working for the former president.
Those charges concern hush money, which he admitted he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels under the direction of Trump — a controversy that has led to a New York state indictment against the former president. Cohen testified to that grand jury before it made its charges, and he is likely to serve a key role in the coming trial.
His conviction got him disbarred, and he emerged from prison as a critic of Trump. Despite his work for the former president, Cohen has volunteered and worked for various Democrats throughout his life, and he registered as a Democrat after his prison sentence, according to his lawyer.
Nadler has done little to upset his Jewish power base. The only time I’ve ever seen this voter bloc reject a Democrat in New York was after the first Anthony Weiner fiasco in 2011, which led to his resignation.
In the special election, Democrat David Weprin, a New York Assemblyman, ran against Republican media executive Bob Turner, famous for numerous noteworthy television series, including The Jerry Springer Show. Turner won in a district Republicans hadn’t represented in nearly a century. Observers noted that Weprin’s support for gay marriage alienated the Orthodox community, while other Jewish voters were unhappy with Obama’s position regarding Israel. Both contributed to some key Democratic voters staying home or voting for Turner.
I don’t think Cohen will benefit from such circumstances on the ground should he decide to run.
Michael Cohen said in a new interview that he is considering a run for Congress where he would potentially make a bid for New York’s 12th Congressional District seat, now held by Rep. Jerry Nadler. https://t.co/9utKCYx9Wf
— The Hill (@thehill) August 11, 2023
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