metro >> on the cover
Both Sides
Of The
Aisle
Young Republicans and Democrats
sound off about today's issues.
Harry Kirsbaum
Contributing Writer
T
he results among Jews are open
to interpretation, but the general
trend tells the tale.
According to a dozen surveys conducted
by the Pew Research Center for the People
& the Press, the Democratic Party lost
voters from across the religious spectrum,
including Jews, since Barack Obama was
elected president in 2008.
"The share of voters identifying with or
leaning toward the GOP has either grown
or held steady in every major religious
group," the report said. "This includes
both religious groups that are part of the
GOP's traditional constituency as well as
some groups that have tended to be more
aligned with the Democratic Party, includ-
ing Jewish voters."
In the surveys among 27,395 vot-
ers conducted over the course of 2011,
the percentage of voters identifying as
Republican has held steady at 28 percent.
However, those identifying themselves as
independent rose four points, from 34 to
38 percent, while Democrats dropped the
same amount from 38 percent to 34 per-
cent. The margin of error is 1.
The surveys show that in 2008, 72
percent of Jews identified themselves as
Democrats and 20 percent identified as
Republicans, which was a 52-point advan-
tage. By 2011, the gap closed to 36 points
— 65 percent identified as Democrats,
and 29 percent identified with the GOP.
Although the sample size of Jews is 330
voters with a relatively high margin of
error of 6.5, it supports the general trend:
Democrats are losing voters.
The Jewish News checked in with some
young, local, politically active Jews on
both sides of the
aisle to find out their
thoughts on the sur-
veys and the factors
they think might be influ-
encing Jews away from the
Democratic Party: the economy
and Israel.
Local Republicans
Bubba Urdan, 42, of West Bloomfield,
running for a State Representative seat
in the 39th District of
West Bloomfield and
Commerce, has always
been a Republican.
"Less government is
the only way to keep
this country great," said
Urdan, who is running
against three Republican
Brad "Bubba"
opponents in the August
Urdan
primary election.
He agrees that the
economy and Israel are reasons for Jewish
voters to move to the GOP.
"Democrats are leading us down a
tax-and-spend road where there is no
light at the end of the tunnel: he said.
"Unemployment benefits need to be
refined, recipients need to be retrained
and people have to get that great
American spirit back, which created the
greatest country in the history of the
planet."
He also said that Obama has not held
up to the promises he made to Israel and
might only be coming around to those
promises in an election year.
Jeffrey J. Schostak, 28, of Birmingham is
director of corporate real estate services
at Livonia-based Schostak Brothers & Co.
Inc.
He became
become politically active
politically active
until she returned home
while raising
from her honeymoon about
money for John
a year-and-a-half ago and
McCain in 2008 and
told her husband, Brett, "I'm
thinks that Jews are
sick and tired of being sick
looking at the Republican
and tired watching decision
Party for economic
makers in our political sys-
Lena Epstein
reasons and Israel.
tem make decisions that are
The social issues don't Koretzky
going to negatively impact
matter as much any-
our family, our business and
more, he says.
our community:' she said. "I want to be
"No matter how
involved."
you slice it, America is
Within one year, she found herself
still the most forward-
with a leadership position in the Oakland
thinking nation as far as County and Michigan Republican parties.
Jeffrey
equal human rights to
Now she's the Lincoln Club president
Shostak
all citizens. To us young
and was in charge of the Oakland County
people, the national
Lincoln Day Dinner, the quintessential
economy and the ability to compete with
Republican fundraiser for the year, which
the rest of the developed world, and our
drew 1,400 people.
growing national debt are the two most
Jews have always been involved in the
important issues;' he said.
Republican Party, and the numbers are
"There does not tend to be a lot of
growing, she said. "The driving force for
change with the social issues, whereas
so many Jewish people who affiliate with
the economic policies regarding taxation
the Republican Party is the belief in fis-
and government regulations actually do
cal conservatism, that a community, state
get altered quite frequently, and, I believe,
and our country is a healthier place when
have much more of an effect on our daily
people can earn money, keep money, grow
lives as Americans in the working world.
wealth and fuel that money back into the
"Obama's anti-settlement views and
economy"
overall weak support of Israel have moved
Ryan Fishman, 23, of Birmingham,
a lot of Jews away from him:' he added.
a second-year law student at Wayne
"The president seems more concerned
State University, became interested in
with Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facili-
politics when he saw
ties than Iran having nukes, and a nuclear
the "scourge of Muslim
Iran is a major threat to Israel's existence."
terrorism" on a trip to
Lena Epstein Koretzky, 30, of
Israel after his bar mitz-
Bloomfield Hills has been a Republican
vah.
since she felt love for President George
"I felt strongly about
H.W. Bush as a little girl.
George W. Bush, the war
But the co-owner and general manager
on terror, and our duty
of Southfield-based Vesco Oil Corp. didn't
as Americans to stand
Ryan Fishman
Both Sides on page 10
8
March 29 2012