While the two states with the largest Jewish populations — New York and California — will almost surely vote for the Democratic candidate, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio, which hold 68 electoral votes, are up for grabs.
In addition, the Jewish vote in Michigan, Nevada, Missouri and Arizona could swing the election in November.
In 2000, Mr. Bush won Florida by less than 1 percent, lost Pennsylvania by 4.2 percent and was hammered in New Jersey by 16 percentage points. A new poll this month shows Mr. Bush and the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, running neck and neck in New Jersey.
This election has the potential to effect a genuine and lasting sea change in American electoral politics, insofar as Jewish voting allegiance is concerned.
This article is an example of Washington Times journalism
at its worst. It is essentially a rewrite of RNC talking points. There is absolutely no new information in the story, which could have been -- and was -- written at various times in the last year or two.
While Bush will probably do better among Jewish voters than he did in 2000, that's not saying much. Jews essentially vote on ideology and cultural identity. They will do so again.
Team Bush is wise to court Jewish voters and donors because they are disproportionately articulate, involved in politics, and well-placed in society. But it would be unwise to spend too much time on any Democratic constituency at the expense of shoring up, and firing up,
the Republican base.