RJC Kicks Off GOTV Push in Swing States

Encouraged by recent polls that show the presidential race tightening in key battleground states and Senate Republican incumbents pulling ahead of their Democratic challengers, the Republican Jewish Coalition on Sunday kicked off its first day of action reaching out to Jewish voters in these swing states.

Several hundred active volunteers knocked on doors and made phone calls to Jewish households in the cities of Cleveland (Ohio), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), and in Southern Florida throughout the day in an effort to reach as many Jewish voters as possible heading into election day.

Volunteers were equipped with literature and talking points that target Hillary Clinton for her support of the Iran nuclear deal while promoting the senators’ votes against the deal.

According to the RJC, the phone banks, lit drops, and door to door canvassing resulted in about 25,000 voter contacts, bringing its total for the 2016 cycle to about 350,000 voters.

via Twitter/@RJC

“Our first day of action was just the start of our fall effort, and we are excited to build on all of our work so far,” RJC spokesman Fred Brown told Jewish Insider.  “Our volunteers and staff will continue speaking to voters every day until the election, making it clear how dangerous a Clinton presidency would be for the United States and our allies.”

Trump is currently ahead by 0.1 points in Florida, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average. Jewish voters, representing 3 to 6 percent of the electorate in Florida, could flip the state to either side. In 2012, President Obama got 68% of the Jewish vote in the Sunshine State, while Republican nominee Mitt Romney got 31 percent, according to exit polls. His margin of victory was less than 1 percent – 70,000 votes.

A recent poll conducted by Jim Gerstein from GBA Strategies showed Clinton is supported by 66 percent of Jewish voters in the state of Florida, while Trump is supported by 23 percent.

An RCP average of polls shows Trump trailing Clinton in Ohio by 2.5 percent and in Pennsylvania by 5.8 percent. Senators Pat Toomey, Marco Rubio, and Rob Portman are all favorites to win their reelection bids.