ALL INDICATIONS point to a close presidential election in 2004, and in such a tight battle every vote and dollar will matter. While the Democrats won 80 percent of the Jewish vote in 2000, 2004 may prove to be a far different story and the Jewish vote may determine the fate of the presidency and congress. While Jews make up only 3 percent of the United States population, Jewish political influence is far greater than that due to their outsized campaign donations, media involvement and electoral presence.
Historically, Jewish voters’ primary political concern has been social justice, which has been the key driver of their political affiliations. From the 1850’s to the early 20th century, Republicans garnered the majority of the Jewish vote due in no small part to the GOP’s role in abolition. Franklin Roosevelt sharply reversed that trend for the Democrats, who ever since have been perceived by Jewish voters as the champions of social justice.
