OWN CORRESPONDENT
Clinton and Trump drew almost even in the popular vote in the balloting – the former secretary of state edged her Republican rival slightly – but Trump scored a decisive victory in the electoral college vote.
“American Jews remain a bedrock Democratic constituency, with overwhelming disdain for Donald Trump,” J Street President Jeremy Ben Ami said in a conference call with reporters.
Jim Gerstein, the pollster, said Jews continued to remain unstinting in their support of the party.
“They voted for Clinton more than Hispanics did, more than any other religious group, including no religion,” Gerstein said.
Trump’s percentage was less than the 30 per cent garnered in 2012 by Mitt Romney in his loss to incumbent President Barack Obama, but commensurate with the 24 per cent won by President George W Bush in 2004.
The economy led Jewish voters’ concerns in the poll, with 35 per cent of respondents listing it as their first or second priority. Tied for second at 27 per cent were concerns about healthcare and terrorism. Israel scored ninth, at nine per cent.
Those figures are typical when both candidates in an election are seen as basically supportive of Israel.
The numbers were similar in a Florida poll – 68 per cent for Clinton and 28 per cent for Trump – and voters there scored similar priorities. Trump narrowly won the state.
J Street conducted the Florida poll in part to see if last-minute pushes by presidential campaigns in the state in recent elections emphasising hawkish pro-Israel credentials were justified by a community likely to rate Israel higher. But the results were virtually the same, with Israel rating ninth at eight per cent.
The group’s national results also comported with national exit polls carried out by a consortium of major media outlets showing Jews favouring Clinton over Trump 71-24 per cent.
J Street’s poll was conducted by Gerstein Bocian Agne on Election Day and reached 731 self-identified Jews whom the pollster invited from among three million Americans who belong to a web-based panel. It has a margin of error of 3,6 percentage points.
The Florida poll reached 500 self-identified Jews through cell phones and landlines, also on Election Day, and had a margin of error of 4,4 percentage points. (JTA)
nat cheiman
Nov 24, 2016 at 1:33 pm
‘The 70% of Jews that voted for Clinton are out of step with reality and the norm.’
Mordechai
Nov 25, 2016 at 12:07 am
‘Nat, totally agree with you. We Jews are our own worst enemies. ‘
Mervyn S Skuy
Nov 25, 2016 at 7:18 am
‘It is gratifying to know that the majority of Jews in the USA are \”out of step\” with the terrible reality of bigotry characterizing Trump and his followers. ‘
David B
Nov 26, 2016 at 7:06 am
‘It seems that there is more in common between ANC voters and democrat voters — there must be a strong ‘donkey’ vote in both cases, based on hot air promises and blind belief that the situation will right itself.
American Jewry is naïve in so many ways , that it can be closely compared to the ANC support — So is politics and politicking ‘
nat cheiman
Nov 29, 2016 at 9:46 am
‘Mervyn, your sarcasm leaves alot to be desired and is out of step with reality. Keith Ellison, whom the Democrats wish to appoint is a known anti Semite, radical Islamist . Probably much worse than the \”bigots\”you refer to in Trumps party. Only the Democrats ( you included) can hail Castro as a hero and want to take in migrants.
The real problem, in my opinion, is that many Jews ( in the USA and Israel) are totally devoid of logic and reality in so far as what constitutes good governance.
Its almost as if they detach themselves from reality, but in essence , believe it is fashionable to be a liberal. Look up Keith Ellisons history and Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and see whether they are Jew friendly. Better still, look at BLM, and see whether Democrats support that movement, ( which in effect is a terrorist organisation). The \”bigots\” to which you refer, do not support anti Semitic groups, nor BDS, nor immigration. The Democrats do.
Perhaps the real bigots are the Democrats and JVJP and others that do not understand the consequences of being liberal.’