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The 2016 Election: Jews and Their Politics

(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Steven Windmueller - Jews provide significant financial support to both political parties and to many candidates. Some analysts project that as much as 50% of all monies raised by Democratic presidential candidates are from Jewish funders, as are 25% of the Republican donor base. Jewish voters enter the political fray with a broad range of interests. An AJC study of the major concerns of American Jews conducted in August 2015 found the "U.S.-Israel relationship" scored fifth among the primary contending political and economic issues, noted by 7% of respondents. Every candidate seeking the presidential nomination has seen the need to reference his or her special connection to Israel, often invoking a reference to their personal relationships and/or political ties to the Jewish state. In each of the primary debates, candidates have taken the opportunity to refer to Israel as "America's ally" or to acknowledge some other particular identification. In the 2012 election, overall voter turnout was only 54%, yet it is estimated that 85% of America's Jews vote. Dr. Steven Windmueller, a Fellow of the Jerusalem Center, is emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles.
2016-02-02 00:00:00
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