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04/23/2008
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Update: Clinton Scores Big with Jewish Voters in Pennsylvania

Revised numbers point to possible Jewish problem for Obama

Analysts differ on whether attacks on Sen. Obama are sticking with Jewish voters. Getty Images

by James D. Besser
Washington Correspondent

 Sen. Hillary Clinton's decisive win in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary on Tuesday included a strong showing with Jewish voters that provides the first real indication that months of attacks are taking their toll on Sen. Barack Obama, still the frontrunner in the protracted nomination battle.

While early exit polls suggested that Clinton won the Jewish vote by about the same margin of her victory among Democrats in general,  a sharp revision in the numbers on Wednesday suggested that she ran more strongly among Jewish voters than almost any other identifiable group.

According to the new numbers, Clinton won 62 percent of the Jewish vote in the Keystone State to Obama's 38 percent.

That  strong showing with Jewish voters suggests "the hits on Obama are sticking

among Jews," said Kean University political scientist Gilbert Kahn. "With those numbers it is likely she won Jews across the board except probably among the young."

Those hits include continuing email campaigns highlighting Obama's middle name, charges that his support for Israel is soft and controversies over his foreign policy advisers and his longtime pastor, a black nationalist who has praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and been harshly critical of Israel.

It was Clinton's strongest showing among Jewish primary voters except in her home state of New York, where she garnered 65 percent.

With Clinton's win Tuesday it now seems likely the fight will continue past the last primary in early June.   That means the nomination will hinge on the fight for support from "super delegates" - an inside battle in which Jewish issues figure hardly at all.

"Now the big issue becomes electability," said University of Florida political scientist Kenneth Wald. "The more this becomes an internal party battle, the less it revolves around issues that have special resonance for Jews."

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