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Bush made significant gains among catholic voters { November 4 2004 }

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   http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&prid=10081&category=Local%20News

Florida state Rep. Ron Klein, a Democrat, said Bush also made significant gains among Catholic voters who were turned off by John Kerry’s social positions.

http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&prid=10081&category=Local%20News

Florida observers credit religious voters for Bush victory

Published Thursday, November 4, 2004
by Sean Salai

Voter turnout among evangelical Christians and Republican gains among Jewish voters were key factors in George W. Bush’s re-election victory over John Kerry, political observers in Florida and Washington said yesterday.
"There is one big factor that decided this election," said Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republicans. "The Republican Party launched a massive grassroots effort at the churches and synagogues."
Dinerstein, who took over the Palm Beach County Republicans after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, said Bush’s exit-poll gains among "young and rich" Jewish voters in Florida and nationally were a result of Joe Lieberman’s exit from the Democratic ticket and the President’s own record on Israel.
"There is a unique coincidence of my becoming chairman here and being Jewish," Dinerstein said. "Sept. 11 gave Republicans new ways to speak about our president. We talked about Bill Clinton hosting Arafat more than any other president, while President Bush refuses even to meet with Arafat. We talked about Bush’s unapologetic support for Israel and we just kept hammering away at the Jewish vote."
Dinerstein said the evangelical Christians, 4 million of whom stayed home from the polls in 2000, were an even stronger factor for Bush.
"The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson was huge in that community," Dinerstein said. "The evangelicals realized this year that they couldn’t just sit around and wait for God to solve their problems on same-sex marriage and abortion."
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s election, the Republican Party brought high profile Jews Ari Fleischer and Ed Koch to stump at South Florida synagogues. They also brought former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to a synagogue and J.C. Watts and Ralph Reed to a black church in West Palm Beach.
Eric Alterman, syndicated MSNBC.com columnist, said the grassroots effort led to an unusually big religious vote that favored Bush nationally.
"The Republicans were very cagey about it the whole time," said Alterman, a liberal Democrat. "I didn’t personally think they had much room for pickup among evangelical Christians, but apparently they did, and that’s what made the difference."
Florida state Rep. Ron Klein, a Democrat, said Bush also made significant gains among Catholic voters who were turned off by John Kerry’s social positions.
"I think the evangelical community was motivated by the president’s agenda and was well-organized," Klein said. "Some Catholics also felt Kerry’s position on abortion was incompatible with their beliefs."
Klein said the president’s five-point gain in the national Jewish vote over 2000 was less than he expected.
"I saw a five-point increase in Jewish voters from the last election and I consider that insignificant compared to the money they put into the Jewish community. The president has been supportive of Israel, and I appreciate that, but John Kerry was supportive of Israel too."
Meanwhile, South Florida pastors confirmed that moral issues had a big effect on their congregations.
"For our church, every issue had a moral foundation and we felt more obligated than ever to mobilize for an issues-oriented vote," said Bob Coy, pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale.
Coy, a frequent participant at White House prayer meetings with President Bush, said voter turnout from his 18,000-member evangelical congregation was unprecedented.
"I think this particular election had everyone more involved," Coy said. "In my 20 years as a pastor, I’ve never seen interest and participation like I saw this year."
At First Assembly of God Church in Boca Raton, where senior pastor Mark Boykin is running for mayor this spring, the church administrator said there was a definite focus on the character of the candidates this year.
"There was more excitement than four years ago among our congregation and a lot of people went to the polls," said Rev. Jerry Olsen. "We felt there was more of a sense of urgency and I think the Christian community came out this year."
Also in Boca, about 350 people attended an Election Day prayer vigil Monday night at Spanish River Church. County officials were at Spanish River four times this fall for registration drives, church officials said.
"We were very concerned on Monday to pray for the candidates’ moral integrity and character," said communications director Chriss Bertling. "I think the congregation’s interest in voting was at an all time high."
But U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, Florida Democrat, said he thought terrorism trumped moral issues in his district.
"I think, clearly, people were concerned about terrorism and felt the president would do a better job than John Kerry," Deutsch said.

Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@bocanews.com or 561-893-6427.


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