Rick Perry, the Jew

JTA — Rep. Eric Cantor’s primary defeat last week meant Jewish Republicans lost the chance to see one of their own become speaker of the House.

Fortunately, however, it turns out that a Jewish Republican is running for president: Rick Perry.

While enjoying a Reuben sandwich at a Jewish deli in Beverly Hills, the Texas governor apparently told New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich: “I’m more Jewish than you think I am.”

“I read the part of the Bible that said the Jews are God’s chosen people,” he told the magazine and added (“boasted,” according to the article) that he has been going to Israel since 1992.

One of several high-profile speakers at Shmuley Boteach’s gala Champions of Jewish Values Awards dinner last month, where he cozied up to Republican Jewish mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, Perry is clearly scoring all the Jewish points he can, short of discovering a Jewish ancestor or actually converting.

To see Perry really Jew-ing it up, however, check out this 2011 video of him dancing with a group of haredi Orthodox Jews at the Texas state capitol.