Jewish leaders praise Bush support for Israel
---SNIP---"Republicans are already seeing big-ticket Democratic Jewish donors joining their ranks: California business executive Roland Arnall hosted a Bush-Cheney fundraiser at his home with Vice President Dick Cheney three weeks ago and raised $1 million for the re-election campaign.
Arnall's wife, Dawn, gave the Republican National Committee $1 million last October, the largest single contribution the group has ever received. Before their foray into Republican politics, the Arnalls had given nearly $1.5 million to Democratic Party causes over the last two years. The American Jewish Congress' Rosen, another regular Democratic Party contributor, gave the RNC $100,000. New York real estate mogul Michael Sonnenfeldt gave the RNC $10,000.
The Arnalls, in a statement released at the time of their donations, said they felt compelled to give to the Republican Party because "America finally has a leader with great integrity and courage who will rid the world of the scourge of terrorism."
An increase in Jewish contributions and a potentially higher Jewish turnout for Bush won't be enough for him to capture a community that has traditionally voted Democratic, political analysts say. But it could cut into the Democratic base and make states with high Jewish populations more competitive.
"Jews are not a deciding vote, but they are a swing vote," said Hank Sheinkopf, a New York-based Democratic political consultant. "If they move Republican, they can cause problems (for Democrats) in such electoral college states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan."
The Democrat Party is undergoing a fracture. With the Left becoming increasingly hostile to Israel, Jewish Democrats are increasingly forced to make a choice between Israel and staying Leftist. Many are forsaking the Left and switching to the "neo-con" movement