Republicans gaining support among Jewish voters

Republican Jewish Coalition ^ | 12.26.03 | Buddy Nevins and Lisa J. Huriash

[aynrandy]

Republican Jewish Coalition www.rjchq.org

In its annual survey of Jewish opinion released this month, the highly regarded and influential American Jewish Committee found that the number of Jews who considered themselves Republican had increased from 9 percent in 2000 to 16 percent in 2003. The interest group surveyed 1,000 Jews nationally, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

"We're in the process of a significant shift in the voting habits of the American Jewish community," said Matthew Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which has a goal of snaring more Jewish voters for the GOP.

They also see big opportunity for the party, and Florida is a major battleground for the ballots of Jews.

Florida Republicans are heartened by Gov. Jeb Bush's election in 2002, where exit surveys showed him winning 44 percent of the Jewish votes. With Gov. Bush's win in mind, GOP activists are encouraged that Jewish voters this year could make the difference for President Bush in such key states as California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and, of course, Florida.

That the GOP is actively seeking Jewish votes is a relatively new phenomenon in South Florida, said former Broward County Commissioner Jack Moss. He recalls when Jewish Republicans here were a tiny, insignificant group.

"We could have met in a phone booth," said Moss, 65, who now heads the Florida Department of Children & Families in Broward.

Today in South Florida, Rep. Adam Hasner, a Delray Beach Republican, is a model for GOP efforts to win Jewish votes. Hasner, 34, rejected the leanings of his schoolteacher parents and embraced former President Ronald Reagan's philosophy.

[curmudgeonII]

Wow!
The percentage of Jews who are Republicans is now 16%. That should take care of all of the problems of future elections.
Gee. A whole 16%.

[bayourod]

But if it continues to double every two years, by 2010 Republicans will have 128% of the Jewish vote. Then Hillary won't have to watch what she says.

[aynrandy]

if bush can bring it up to 25 percent -- it would be helpful in winning florida, penn., michigan and ny. incremental steps may not be good enough for you, but they do mean something.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[curmudgeonII]

if bush can bring it up to 25 percent -- it would be helpful in winning florida, penn., michigan and ny. incremental steps may not be good enough for you, but they do mean something.

My point in my prior remark wasn't that an incremental value is meaningless. But, starting with such a meager number, even a doubling isn't very significant. [See the tag line.]

[jmaroneps37]

Sorry, I don't buy it.