Whenever Israel is mentioned in the political context, commentators normally focus on the impact of U.S. policy on the Jewish vote. In doing so, they overlook the fact that supporting Israel has become a core issue for many evangelicals, who make up a much larger portion of the electorate than Jewish voters. This reality could hold the key for Mitt Romney as he contemplates ways to secure and energize evangelical voters should he win the Republican nomination.
It’s always important to keep in mind that Jewish voters, who make up just two percent of the national electorate, tend to be concentrated in states that are already typically locks for Democrats (such as Massachusetts, New York and California), leaving Florida as the one swing state where there’s a large Jewish presence. But even there, Jewish voters only made up four percent of the electorate in 2008, according to exit polls. By contrast, evangelicals made up 26 percent of the electorate nationally and 24 percent in Florida. A small shift in evangelical turnout or support could make the difference in swing states such as Ohio, Iowa, Virginia and North Carolina.
