February 14, 2012

 (JTA) — Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, spoke to a Chabad synagogue in Florida.

Boehner, addressing the Shul of Bal Harbour on Sunday, said that his affection for Israel dates back to his days as a state lawmaker in Ohio, when he accepted a colleague’s invitation to visit the country.

Boehner “pledged to ensure that under his watch the trust between Israel and America is maintained to the benefit of our mutual defense,” according to a release from American Friends of Lubavitch, which organized Boehner’s visit.

“He additionally spoke on the importance of education in society (he was Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee) and noted how he is proud to have on his team the highest ranking Jewish official in US history, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.),” the release said.

Republicans and Democrats are heavily focused on Florida, a swing state with a substantial elecotral vote bloc, in this election year.

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