Bernie Sanders Is Losing The Jewish Vote — And Maybe Everyone Else’s
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Jews haven’t been enthusiastic about Bernie Sanders, and other voters appear to be feeling the same way.
Sanders’ campaign has been without an Iowa political director since the late summer, and the numbers in the state reflect the struggle, The Washington Post reported. He is polling in third place at 11%, behind Elizabeth Warren (22%) and former vice president Joe Biden (20%). During the 2016 primaries, he had been neck-and-neck with Hillary Clinton in Iowa.
Voters who were once in Sanders’ corner are now looking toward Warren, who has advocated for similar policies, including Medicare-for-all, but who is providing a new, warmer delivery and is also a little younger. Many of the people who supported him in 2016 have shifted to her camp, especially those under 35, according to the Post.
It’s another tight race so far in New Hampshire, where Sanders’ campaign has also gone through transitions and experienced tension. There was a change in state directors plus other internal conflict, including that over salaries.
For the Jews, Sanders is either too Jewish or not Jewish enough — his mannerisms are a clear giveaway to his New York Jewish roots, but he continues to dodge questions about his past and the idea of becoming the first Jewish president.
But Sanders is not giving up yet. His campaign revealed it hit 1 million individual donors, and on Monday it begins its “Bernie Beats Trump” tour across Iowa.
Alyssa Fisher is a writer at the Forward. Email her at fisher@forward.com, or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
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