"Two Front War: Jews, Identity, Liberalism, And Voting".pdf

Jews comprise 2% of the American electorate, but both Democratic and Republican parties court the Jewish vote due to high turnout rates and concentration in swing states. In the 2004 election, Republicans emphasized Israel's security, while Democrats focused on the threat from the Christian Right. Analysis of voting behavior found that Jews concerned with Israel's security were more likely to vote for Bush, while those who strongly disliked evangelicals voted overwhelmingly for Kerry. Overall, 80% of Jews voted for Kerry, with some shifting from Gore in 2000 due to concerns about Israel, and others shifting from Bush due to fear of evangelicals. American Jews are uncomfortable with the evangelical call for conversion and see the Christian Right as a threat to their identity, with almost uniformly negative attitudes toward evangelicals, unlike non-Jews who have more positive views. The study found that attitudes toward evangelicals and Israel only mattered for Jewish voters, with Jewish liberalism and traditional attachment to the Democratic party explaining their loyalty.