‘The hope is gone,’ says new ad urging Jews to abandon Obama
With polls indicating Romney trailing in swing states, RJC hopes a major push into the Jewish community can make up the difference
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) on Wednesday released a new television ad targeting Jewish voters in the swing states of Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Republican challenger Mitt Romney trails in most polls in those states, and Republicans are hoping that a major push into the Jewish community, a significant voting population in all four states being targeted, can help make up the difference.
In the ad, part of a series titled “Buyer’s Remorse,” self-described former Obama voter Renie Tell explains that the weak economy, and the fact that “I don’t think Barack Obama is a friend of Israel at all,” has convinced her to switch her vote.
“I guess I fell for hope and change, like everybody else,” she says in the 30-second spot. “The hope is gone and the change didn’t happen.”
Republicans are spending millions of dollars this year in television advertising, billboards and grassroots outreach to Jewish voters. A significant portion of the funding for these efforts comes from Republican Jewish donors such as billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
While the RJC has said Jewish support for Obama is declining according to its internal polling, it has not publicized those polls, and surveys by Gallup and the American Jewish Committee show continued widespread support for Obama among Jewish voters.
Some polls have shown small drops in expressions of support compared to the votes Obama garnered among Jews in 2008, but these drops have largely been within the margin of error, and most of those polled who initially said they were undecided indicated they leaned toward Obama.