Republican congressional nominee Caroline Shinkle has made unwavering support for Israel one of the central themes of her campaign for New York’s 12th Congressional District.

Shinkle, a corporate attorney with a background in economics and central banking, is the Republican nominee for the 12th District — a heavily Democratic Manhattan seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). In November, she will face Democratic Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who won a crowded June primary to become Nadler’s would-be successor.

While her campaign also emphasizes economic growth, public safety, and education, it has distinguished itself through an unapologetically pro-Israel message, with Shinkle pledging to strengthen the US-Israel alliance and combat rising antisemitism.

Shinkle has called for maintaining robust military, diplomatic, and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel. She has consistently defended Israel’s right to protect its citizens from terrorist organizations and has criticized efforts in Congress to condition or reduce American security assistance. On her campaign website, Shinkle has framed her support for Israel as part of a broader effort to achieve “peace through prosperity and peace through strength” and a steadfast commitment to “standing with our allies.”

Shinkle, who worked at the Bank of Israel in Jerusalem, has also made combating antisemitism a central priority, calling for stronger protections for Jewish communities and condemning what she describes as the growing normalization of antisemitic rhetoric in American public life.

“At a time when antisemitism is rising in our streets, on our campuses, and across our culture, silence is not leadership,” Shinkle said on her website. “I will be an unapologetic voice for New York’s Jewish community, and I will stand proudly with Israel.”

Shinkle has also criticized federal Democratic lawmakers for voting to strip Israel of military aid, arguing that the party can no longer be trusted to support America’s closest Middle Eastern ally, and faulted Nadler — the retiring incumbent — for missing the vote.

“If you support Israel as a U.S. ally, you can no longer trust today’s Democratic Party to uphold that interest. But you can trust me,” Shinkle wrote on Instagram.

In the nearly three years since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the Democratic Party has started to waver in its support for Israel. An increasing number of Democratic lawmakers have issued sharper criticisms of the Jewish state, accusing it of committing “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians. Several surveys indicate that support for Israel among Democratic voters has fallen sharply, with some polling finding that a majority of Democrats believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

Shinkle also marched in this year’s Israel Day Parade in celebration of the Jewish state. The event drew heightened attention after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to participate — becoming the first sitting mayor to skip the Fifth Avenue parade since its founding in 1964 — citing his accusation that Israel is committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. Over the course of her campaign, Shinkle has taken aim at Mamdani, arguing that his policies foment antisemitism and degrade quality of life in the city.

Shinkle earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before receiving her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Her earlier career included work at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the European Central Bank, the Bank for International Settlements, and the Bank of Israel.