Conference organizers are noting a shift in American Jews’ political affiliation, as more of them are moving towards supporting Republicans. Traditionally, American Jews have tended to vote for Democrats, but the Republicans’ stronger support for Israel has attracted their attention. The national Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) leadership summit is taking place at a crucial time, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas war. According to RJC spokesman Sam Markstein, the summit holds added significance given the current situation in Israel and the potential decline in Democrats’ support for Israel.
The summit is expected to draw significant attention, with former President Donald Trump and several other Republican presidential candidates slated to speak. With approximately 1,000 attendees and over 50 media outlets, including international and Israeli media, the three-day event is set to begin on Friday at the Venetian Resort’s conference center in Las Vegas. State and national elected officials will have the opportunity to meet with influential party activists from around the country, demonstrating the Republican Party’s unwavering support for Israel.
Sam Markstein emphasizes that there has been a noticeable shift between the two parties regarding support for Israel. While expressing support for Israel used to be met with applause from both Republicans and Democrats, Markstein believes that making the same statement at a Democratic event today would provoke negative reactions. The growing support for Israel within the Republican Party is becoming more appealing to American Jews who feel disillusioned by the dwindling support from Democrats.
The summit, scheduled long before the recent conflict, comes just 20 days after the Hamas attack on Israel. Markstein, who is Jewish himself, describes the attacks as brutal and barbaric, leading to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. Eric Levine, a New York attorney and RJC board member, expects the Israel-Hamas war to be a significant topic of discussion at the summit. Levine highlights the importance of America defending Israel and views Hamas’s attack as an assault on Western civilization.
According to Levine and Markstein, there are indications that more American Jews are aligning with conservative values and moving towards the Republican Party. While 68 percent of the Jewish vote went to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, 30 percent voted for the Republican incumbent Donald Trump. However, this was a 6 percent increase from Trump’s support among Jewish voters in 2016 and almost triple the support received by Republican George W. Bush in 1992. Markstein credits Trump’s pro-Israel actions, such as relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and negotiating the Abraham Accords, for impressing many American Jews.
Markstein also points out that in the 2020 Florida gubernatorial election, Governor Ron DeSantis received 45 percent of the state’s Jewish vote. These trends suggest that more American Jews are leaning towards the Republican Party, leading Markstein to anticipate further improvements in GOP support among the Jewish community.
The summit will feature President Trump, Governor DeSantis, and six other Republican presidential candidates who will each have about 25 minutes to speak on October 28. Other notable speakers include governors, senators, representatives, and Fox News commentator Mark Levin.