In his presidential pitch to the Jewish community, Mitt Romney has supported Israel, condemned Iran and talked extensively about being a member of an oft-misunderstood religious minority.
Up until this point, however, the former governor of Massachusetts has been unable to erode the steep support that his rivals are enjoying from conservative Jews.
It’s not for lack of trying though.
Romney outlined a very detailed plan for dealing with Iran in a June 2007 statement to the Israel Project. His plan included expanding divestment efforts against Iran, diplomatically isolating the Islamic Republic, indicting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for inciting genocide under the Geneva Conventions and pressing Arab nations and NATO to create an alliance that would force Iran to give up its nuclear aspirations.
Romney delivered a similar pro-Israel, anti-Iran push at the Herzilya Conference in January 2007.
He drew criticism from other GOP candidates after saying at a debate in October 2007 that if Iran acquired nuclear weapons, he would consult with his lawyers.
But that same month, Romney was talking tough at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s candidates’ forum. When it comes to the spread of terrorism, he said, the Democrats “are in the most serious case of denial since Neville Chamberlain.”
“The real problem is that jihadists want to conquer the world,” Romney said.
He championed Israel’s security barrier, which the Palestinians oppose because it cuts through the West Bank.
“The security fence is keeping violence from overrunning the Holy Land,” Romney said.
At the forum, Romney voiced skepticism over the renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that ultimately were launched in Annapolis, Md.
“How could you possibly have a peace conference at this stage?” he asked, noting that Hamas terrorists were now controlling the Gaza Strip. “Who would you talk to?”
Romney was third in fundraising from RJC board members and in a favorability poll among Jewish Republicans, he finished behind Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.
Romney’s public relationship with his Mormon faith met with criticism and praise from Jews throughout the campaign.
In a Dec. 6, 2007 speech in College Park, Texas, Romney said that God “should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places.”
He added that he would “take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from the God who gave us liberty.”
Rabbi David Saperstein, who directs the Reform movement’s Religious Action Center, praised Romney’s candor, but cautioned that he may have been using the forum to assure evangelicals that he shared their belief that Jesus is the son of God.
Romney’s Mormonism should not be an issue, says one of his Jewish backers, Michael Menis, chairman of the RJC’s Chicago chapter.
“Jews throughout history have been persecuted for their religious beliefs,” Menis recently told the Chicago Jewish News. “If any one religious group should be supportive of someone’s right to believe in what they wish and not be persecuted for it or excluded from political office for it, it should be the Jewish people.”
Nancy Kaufman, the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, said she worked extensively with Romney during his time as governor, particularly on services for seniors and faith-based assistance after Hurricane Katrina.
She also lobbied for Romney’s health care plan, which provided assistance for low-income families but levied a tax penalty on those who did not get insurance.
On other issues, there were differences with Jewish groups. Romney tried to roll back his state’s historic approval of same-sex marriages and was not supportive of the Jewish Community Relations Council’s plan to provide in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.
Kaufman sounded a note of disappointment in how Romney appears to be tamping down his reputation as a consensus-building moderate as he appeals to Christian conservatives that make up a key segment of the Republican base.
“I haven’t heard him talk about working across faith groups,” Kaufman said. “I worked closely with him and his wife, and they were very appreciative of the role faith-based groups played. He valued the Jewish community and our input.”
The primary issue: Dissecting the election for Jewish voters</a