Religion News Service
In voting, Orthodox Jews are looking more like evangelicals
American Jews are liberal and vote Democratic; but among them, Orthodox Jews are increasingly voting Republican and spouting familiar conspiracy theories.
February 19, 2021
(RNS) — Trump won the election. Places of worship must remain open during the pandemic. Antifa is more dangerous than white supremacists.
These views are standard among some evangelicals and Catholics.
But a new survey suggests that those views have permeated other religious groups, too, notably America’s small Orthodox Jewish community.
As a voting bloc, American Jews are liberal and vote Democratic; but among them, Orthodox Jews, who strictly adhere to traditional teachings, are increasingly voting Republican and spouting familiar conspiracy theories former President Donald Trump has stoked.
A new survey of 449 Orthodox Jews showed that those who voted for Trump and those who voted for Biden had completely different views on the issues facing the country.
Among Orthodox Jewish Trump voters, Israel, Iran and terrorism were among the top concerns cited in a survey by Nishma Research, a Connecticut-based polling firm. Among Orthodox Jewish Biden voters, the coronavirus pandemic, “bringing the country together” and health care were the top three issues.
“Overall, it seems pretty clear that Orthodoxy has shifted toward Trump,” said Mark Trencher, president of Nishma and the study’s lead researcher, noting that among those who voted Republican or Democrat, “there were huge differences.”