# Why does the great majority of Jews vote democratic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2004, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150 "2004-11-05T08:21:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/21 "2004-11-05T21:46:35Z")
BTW, I am somewhere between amazed and appalled at the stereotypes flying around in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/22 "2004-11-05T21:59:31Z")
Pat Robertson: [Why Evangelical Christians support Israel](http://www.patrobertson.com/Speeches/IsraelLauder.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Waccoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Waccoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waccoe)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/23 "2004-11-05T22:05:41Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Pat Robertson: [Why Evangelical Christians support Israel](http://www.patrobertson.com/Speeches/IsraelLauder.asp). Interesting. I like the way that Islam is slated for being a fanatical religion. ---
**Author:** ![Waccoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Waccoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waccoe)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/24 "2004-11-05T22:09:20Z")
Incidently (and wandering from the point of the thread slightly), what do Jews make of rapture theology? On the one hand, its proponents are on their side in political terms. On the other hand, if I’m reading it right, they think that the Jews will have a last chance to convert on the big day. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/25 "2004-11-05T22:21:22Z")
Maybe because that they _know_ that that thing with “when they came for the…” really is true- and could happen again- even here. Not that I think that W is another Hitler or even close, but if I was a Moslem here, I’d be a bit nervous after the re-election. (well, Ashcrotf is retiring so maybe not, but still…) ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/26 "2004-11-05T22:40:26Z")
Can anybody tell me if there was a difference between this and the last election among Jewish voters and which party they cast their vote for? Reason I ask: The Bush administration has proven itself staunchly pro-Israel, and many in the Neoconservative movement who have clearly influenced Bush’s foreign policy are secular or non-Orthodox Jewish intellectuals with strong Zionist sympathies. As this relates to pro-Israel Jews, can the Dems take their vote for granted any longer? It would not be the first or only core-constituency to start switching, if that were the case. For example, many Hispanics in FL voted Republican on morality issues, being predominantly and loyally Catholic. They helped clinch FL for Bush, which I think may have surprised the Dems. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/27 "2004-11-05T22:48:52Z")
There was an amusing _Daily Show_ bit when one of the reporters was at the Democratic National Convention and rounding up a “cross-section”. He didn’t care about their names so he slapped labels (literally!) on them saying “Lesbian”, “Union worker”, “Tree hugger” etc. Looking at the group, he said (roughly) “Wait a sec, we don’t have a Jew in here! Hmm, I only hope I can find a Jew at the DNC!” He walked off camera and returned about 1.5 seconds later with a Jew. I cracked right up. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/28 "2004-11-05T22:57:12Z")
Well **Loopy** , many of us secular American Jews are very pro-Israel but in the same way that we are patriotic Americans … I love America but am no fan of Bush and his policies; I support Israel but am critical of many of Sharon’s policies. Bush’s shoulder to shoulder with Sharon doesn’t impress many of us. Some Jewish Liberals may have found a new intellectual home as neocons, but only a small representation of Jews overall. Those like me believe that a Democrat will also be supportive of Israel in general even if less blindly supportive of Sharon. The war in Iraq has done Israel no favors as it has distracted the US from effectively working to contain the greater threat (to Israel at least) of Iran and its emerging nuclear weapon capacity. BTW **Walloon** , which sterotypes are you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/29 "2004-11-05T23:04:40Z")
It is understood why in the past, Jews felt safer under democratic regimes. However, currently, the fellow Jews that I know or have met have no more interest in helping the poor, the minorities any more than the most rabid right winger. As I am a secular Jew who voted for Bush in spite of all his flaws, one of the reasons was that he fully supports Israel…a little speck surrounded by Arab lands…the only democratic nation in the area. whatever religious reasons you apply for his pro Israel stance, he has been in full support. Therefore, I believe that the Jews vote so overwhelmingly democratic simply because mom and dad did as well as grandma and grampa. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/30 "2004-11-06T01:37:47Z")
> [@RickG](#): > > As a Jew, my main problem is with the religious right. Frankly, the religious right wing of the GOP is problematic for this Jew on many levels. First, I don’t think we share the same concept of G-d at all, despite their constant reference to “Judeo-Christian values”. I think their concept is so triumphalist and totalist that we risk, if not theocracy, at least a country where every social issue is decided on _only_ specifically Fundamentalist Protestant religious grounds. That’s not good for the Jews. It breeds hostility to other religions (and to the absence of religion), that ultimately leads to discrimination and persecution. We do best when church and state are quite separate, thanks very much, and I don’t think the current makeup of the Republican Party is really very friendly to the concept. Has anyone ever done a poll of Jews in the US about how they think of the Republicans being dominated by Christian evangelicals? As Jews in the US are just a little over 2% of the population, while the US is heavily Christian, I can see why the would be worried about a political party so strongly aligned with a faith other than theirs. The Democrats largely see politics as being a secular matter. For US Jews, strong separation of church and state is a good value. Particularly as historically Christians have heavily persecuted Jews. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/31 "2004-11-06T01:59:54Z")
Because Jews have a long tradition of, crazily, believing in social justice? ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/32 "2004-11-06T02:01:46Z")
Oh yeah: almost forgot…because the ZOG tells us to. Ooops…I probably shouldn’t have said that ---
**Author:** ![JMS\_CCT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@JMS\_CCT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JMS_CCT)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/33 "2004-11-06T16:33:09Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > 1. Heck, a _big_ reason why the Republicans are so staunchly pro-Israel is because they believe it will hasten the return of Christ – which, again, isn’t exactly something to warm the cockels of most Jewish hearts… Concerning Republicans who identify themselves as Bible believing Evangelicals: the reason why they are staunchly pro-Israel is Genesis 12:3; 22:18: \*\*“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curseth thee…and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed” \*\* “Thee” would be Israel, or Abraham’s “seed,” which ended up being Jacob and his twelve sons. There is a common belief among evangelicals that the modern Nation Israel is still God’s chosen nation, and therefore those verse in Genesis are currently in effect. I happen to believe this is a driving force behind U.S. policy towards Israel since its reinstatement in 1947. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/34 "2004-11-06T18:04:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It all has to do with “Rapture theology” and the concept of Armageddon and Revalation conspiracy theories. Basically, for Christ to return, Israel has to exist. Yes, they believe Israel has to exist, but not necessarily \*\*as a Jewish state. \*\*So Jews aren’t going to automatically assume the religious right are their allies, just because they’re pro-Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/35 "2004-11-06T21:22:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yes, they believe Israel has to exist, but not necessarily \*\*as a Jewish state. \*\*So Jews aren’t going to automatically assume the religious right are their allies, just because they’re pro-Israel. True-I hope you didn’t think I was implying that they would assume that! ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/36 "2004-11-06T21:42:55Z")
Secular Jew here, voted for Badnarik. Although I generally despise Bush, I support Sharon for the most part; libertarianism is something a nation can only afford after it attains some degree of lasting security, IMO. My family was pretty much split between Bush and Kerry, though my mom may have voted for Cobb if she had registered (or Nader, if he had been an option on the CA ballot). ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/37 "2004-11-08T06:06:10Z")
> [@Rashak Mani](#): > > What ! So why do Neo-Cons keep babbling about Israel ? I thought there was a heavy jewish lobby for these kind of nuts in order to bolster Israel. Or Jews are just prudent and support any party in power in order to help Israel ? > > How do american jews view the Bush adm. 100% total support of Sharon ? Well, first of all, [exit polls](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/FL/P/00/epolls.0.html) for the election had Kerry leading Bush by a huge margin in the Jewish vote: > [@](#): > > ```auto > > Bush Kerry > Jewish (5%) 20% 80% > > ``` Of course, the CNN poll only asked about a person’s religion; had those who consider themselves _ethnically_ Jewish been questioned, the results would likely have been even more favorable for Kerry. Moreover, a [pre-election poll](http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?ReleaseID=34773) revealed that: > [@](#): > > [ul] > [li]Senator Kerry maintains a very strong lead over President Bush within the Jewish community. Senator Kerry leads President Bush by a margin of 75 percent to 22 percent. Senator Kerry’s lead is as strong as the American Jewish vote was in 2000 for then-Vice President Gore over then-Governor Bush; respondents voted in 2000 for then-Vice President Al Gore over then-Governor Bush by a margin of 76 percent to 21 percent.[/li][li]American Jewish support for Senator Kerry is extremely solid. Fully 78 percent of Kerry supporters indicated that there is “no chance” that they will vote for President Bush, while only 52 percent of Bush supporters are solid in their support.[/li][li] \*\*Even on the issues of Israel and America’s war on terrorism, American Jews overwhelmingly believe Senator Kerry will do a better job, both by a margin of 66-34 percent. Only 24 percent of respondents said they were closer to President Bush on Israel than Senator Kerry. \*\*[/li][li] **The two greatest concerns of respondents are in the areas of the economy and jobs, and terrorism and national security – both areas in which Senator Kerry is strongly preferred by American Jews** , according to this survey[/li][/ul] So, even though Bush is more right-leaning (and therefore more supportive of the Israeli right) than Kerry, most Jews see Kerry as the better choice. > [@](#): > > So why do Neo-Cons keep babbling about Israel ? Um, because staunch support for Israel is part of their foreign policy? (Or is this a rhetorical question?) > [@](#): > > I thought there was a heavy jewish lobby for these kind of nuts in order to bolster Israel. There _is_ a sizable Jewish lobby for Israel. However, that doesn’t mean all the Jewish supporters of Israel (1) agree with the neo-cons, (2) support Israel to the same extent / with the same priority, or (3) advocate the same Israeli government policies. > [@](#): > > Or Jews are just prudent and support any party in power in order to help Israel ? Well, hopefully we can immediately dispose of any notion of Jews as a collective. But, to answer your question: No. Both the Democrats and Republicans support Israel; the difference is in degree, and, even so, is hardly vast. The Pub and Dem positions on Israel haven’t changed much over the years so the Pubs will always be the party for conservative Jews whose single issue is Israel. Clearly, there are other issues that are important to a majority of Jews as well. I should note that Jewish families who have lived in the US for at least two generations are more likely to be liberal (with regard all issues, including Israel) than those who have just immigrated here. And then there are anomalies, like me, who are far more right-leaning than most Jews, less supportive of Israel, not religious, and generally averse to the contemporary liberal ethos. Of course, we’re dissatisfied with both major political parties, so our votes may go to neither of the two candidates. > [@](#): > > How do american jews view the Bush adm. 100% total support of Sharon ? I think the 66% figure is telling. As for Orthodox Jews, they do indeed vote heavily Republican and are starting to resemble the [evangelical Christian](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/497369.html) voting block. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/38 "2004-11-08T12:28:10Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > [Estimated](http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/usjewpop.html) Jewish population of the United States: 6,155,000 > In New York: 1,657,000 (26.9%) > In California: 999,000 (16.2%) **Walloon** , where do you come up with the percentages you’ve shown in parentheses? The site you linked to already has a column showing percentage for all the states. From your own cite: CA 2.9% Jewish NY 8.7% Jewish Care to enlighten us as to what your numbers refer to? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/39 "2004-11-08T12:58:06Z")
> [@bizzwire](#): > > **Walloon** , where do you come up with the percentages you’ve shown in parentheses? The site you linked to already has a column showing percentage for all the states. From your own cite: > > CA 2.9% Jewish > NY 8.7% Jewish > > Care to enlighten us as to what your numbers refer to? The 26.9/16.2% figures are the percentages in NY and CA of the _total US Jewish Population_. In response to the claim that an overwhelming majority of US Jews lived in those two states. The 8.7/2.9% are the percentages of Jews vs. the _total population of the state_. In response to claims that their presence would be large enough to swing the state. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150/40 "2004-11-08T12:59:01Z")
> [@bizzwire](#): > > CA 2.9% Jewish > NY 8.7% Jewish > > Care to enlighten us as to what your numbers refer to? Statistics aren’t that hard… but he basically calculated how much % of jews are in CA and NY… the statistic you mention is what percentage of CA and NY are jewish. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-great-majority-of-jews-vote-democratic/273150.md?page=3)