US political parties fight for Jewish votes

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The typical politics of America's Jewish community is easy to caricature: Roosevelt-loving, New Deal Democrats.

The caricature blurs the community's complexity but nevertheless, in the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore won 80% of the Jewish vote.

But could it be a different story this time around?

Highlighting its strong support of Israel since coming to office, the Bush re-election campaign is making a determined effort to woo the votes of a section of the electorate that it has previously given up on.

Key swing voters

America's Jewish population is small in number - only about six million people or 2% of the population.

But they have electoral clout because they live in America's handful of swing states.

Most observers agree that the United States is currently congealing politically into two equal halves, so the battle to switch political allegiances in a small number of key states is intense.

With its 537-vote margin in President Bush's favour last time, Florida is again likely to play a decisive role in November.

And that is why the Jewish vote is suddenly in play.

South Florida has the second largest Jewish population centre in the United States after New York, and is the focus of the Republican Party's efforts to win over Jewish voters.

Two months ago Dick Cheney was despatched to Florida to speak to the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, and over the next few months more high-profile Republican visits to the Jewish community are planned.

Republicans focus on Israel

Over breakfast at a Boca Raton diner, Sid Dinerstein, the chair of the Palm Beach County Republican Party, explains that his mission is to double the number of Republican-voting Jewish people in November's election.

"Even if it went from 20% to 30%", he says, "then at 9am flat, this state will be called for President Bush."

Brian Crowley, the political editor of the Palm Beach Post, has recognised the new determination of the Republican Party to win over Jewish Democrats.

And he believes their efforts are being assisted by the changing demographic of Florida's Jewish population, as younger, wealthier Jewish people move in from the Midwest.

These voters have less political fidelity to the Democratic Party than the traditional East Coast-born community.

Central to the Republicans' campaign is the message that the interests of Israel will be better looked after by a re-elected President Bush.

In post-9/11 America, their argument goes that the US government and Israel now face a common enemy and must approach it in the same way.

The implication: The Democratic Party will be weaker on Israel.

Challenges for the Republicans

State Representative Adam Hasner, the head of Jewish Outreach for the Bush-Cheney campaign in Florida, is adamant that it is right to politicise the issue of Israel in the coming election.

"I believe [the voters] should be looking at Israel as the top priority", Mr Hasner says. "Because without Israel, the Jewish community in Florida ceases to exist."

The middle-aged New Yorkers at Poppy's restaurant in Boca Raton still typify Florida's Jewish community. There was not much enthusiasm evident for the Republicans' message.

"If the Democrats get in, they will back Israel just as the Republicans do" was the common view.

There was also some annoyance at the view that Israel had to be the number one issue of concern for Florida's Jewish voters.

"It has nothing to do with Israel. I'll vote for the best person," said one diner.

Others were sure that Jewish voters will continue to vote according to their pocket-books, domestic issues and tradition.

It is a view shared by Steve Rabinowitz, a Democratic pollster, who is confident that as soon as John Kerry's support of Israel is recognised, attention will switch back to domestic concerns and the Democrats will again sweep up the Jewish vote.

Yet the Republican Party does believe that this election is different and are chasing the Jewish vote with an energy that they have not done before.

If the confidence of Steve Rabinowitz turns out to be misplaced, the Democrat Party might have unwelcome difficulty in getting out what should be a core part of their electoral base in Florida and other key states.
 
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