2012 Elections and the Jewish Vote

Originally published September 14, 2011

The forthcoming Presidential election promises to be a challenging time for America. For Jews, a number of key issues will be particularly significant as we enter this political cycle. The American-Israel connection will continue to play a defining role. Economic issues, national security concerns, and the general state of U.S. foreign policy priorities will all be seen as important to this community. Among various Jewish constituencies, domestic interests including job-creation and educational initiatives, immigration reform, and health and social service programs will be seen as compelling.

At the outset of the 2012 campaign, it would appear that American Jews, as in the past several national elections, are divided along party lines. One of the compelling issues however will be to determine if President Obama has experienced an erosion of support, and if so,what might be the nature and depth of that voter dissatisfaction.

The Wind Report will seek to capture the key elements related to the Jewish vote, as it unfolds over the next 14 months.

Your comments and questions are solicited.

Steven F. Windmueller, Ph.D.
Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk Emeritus Professor
HUC-JIR
Los Angeles Campus