Santorum’s Jewish Backers Switch to Romney
Rick Santorum Image by getty images
Josh Nathan-Kazis April 10, 2012
With Rick Santroum’s exit from the presidential race, Jewish supporters of the conservative candidate say that they’re ready to back his onetime rival Mitt Romney.
“We’re happy he stayed in as long as he did,” said David Shor, creator of the website Jews Pick Rick. “We’re going to unite behind Mitt Romney and hopefully we’ll be able to beat Obama in the general election.”
Always a dark horse, Santorum enjoyed a moment of plausibility as a candidate in March as the Republican field narrowed. His exit appears to make official what had long been presumed: Romney will eventually face Obama in the general election.
Though he was considered a favorite of Christian conservatives, Santorum enjoyed particular support among Orthodox Jews, as Forward reported in late March. Orthodox supporters pointed to Santorum’s focus on social issues, and on a personal life that resembled their own.
“I’m sure they’ll go to Romney,” Shor said of his fellow Orthodox Jewish Santorum supporters. “I don’t think [Obama] will be able to get the Jewish Orthodox vote.”
Other Santorum supporters were upset at the news.
“This is a big disappointment,” allowed Yochonon Donn, an editor at the Orthodox daily Hamodia who is a Santorum supporter in his personal capacity. “I think ultimately whoever would have supported [Santorum], they will go for Romney. They’re not going to go for Obama. I don’t think they will stay home.”
All Jewish Santorum supporters weren’t Orthodox. A handful of non-Orthodox Santorum supporters attended a Santorum rally in South Florida in January covered by the Forward.
“I despise Obama’s redistributionist agenda,” said one Jewish Santorum supporter named Nat Trayger at the rally.
Republican Jewish Coalition president Matt Brooks said that Santorum’s exit from the race marks a turning point. Even though Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul are still in the race, Brooks said there is little to stop Romney now.
“I think by and large you’re going to see most people start to coalesce, if they haven’t already, around Romney, who I think by all accounts at this point is clearly the likely nominee,” Brooks said. “(He) is on track to lock that up and then face Obama in the fall.”
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
