Israel Matzav

Jewish support for Obama down 7% in Florida compared to '08

A total of 69% of Florida Jews said they would vote for Obama in November’s presidential elections, down from an estimated 76% in 2008, the AJC noted.

A 7 percentage-point drop in the Jewish vote likely represents over 50,000 votes in a state that the Republicans won in 2000 by fewer than 600 votes.

The 69% figure closely matches the results of a Gallup poll among Jewish voters nationwide from last weekend, which put support for Obama among US Jews at 70%.

Only 25% of Florida Jews said they would vote for Mitt Romney, according to the AJC poll.

Republicans have invested unprecedented resources — including buying billboards, print advertisements and door-to-door canvassing — to target hundreds of thousands of Jews in swing states whom the Republican Jewish Coalition has suggested may be considering turning away from their traditional Democratic affiliation.

The AJC’s telephone poll was conducted among 254 registered Jewish voters between September 7-9. The AJC expects to publish, within the coming weeks, a poll of Jewish voters in Ohio — another key battleground state — and a nationwide poll.

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74% would support Israeli military action to stop the Iranian nuclear program, an action the Obama administration has vehemently opposed at this stage in both public and private statements.

While Florida Jewish voters favor Democrats over Republicans on national security (by 66% vs. 27%), and on the economy (68% vs. 28%), the Democratic lead narrows significantly when voters are asked about the parties’ handling of US-Israeli relations (54% vs. 35%).

And, while Obama enjoys a 61% approval rating for his handling of the US-Israel relationship, Florida Jewish voters give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who has clashed repeatedly with Obama on several issues — a 72% approval rating in handling the relationship.

On Iran, 94% are “concerned” (79% are “very concerned”; 15% are “somewhat concerned”) about “the prospect of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.” A smaller majority (53% vs. 43%), believe it is unlikely that diplomacy and sanctions will stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. And 62% support US military action if diplomacy and sanctions fail. As already noted, an even higher number, 74%, support an Israeli military action, while only 17% oppose such an action.

The figures on Israel may explain the drop in support for Obama from 2008: A large majority of poll participants, 86%, said they agreed (66% strongly, 20% somewhat) with the statement: “Caring about Israel is a very important part of my being a Jew.”

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Campaign 2012, Jewish vote, Mitt Romney

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:05 AM