Jewish Dems’ New Ad: Joe Biden is a Mensch

Jewish Democratic Council of America Launches Virtual Schlep on Eve of Democratic Convention

WASHINGTON – As the Democratic National Convention kicks off a week of virtual events, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) has released a new digital ad featuring a Delaware rabbi’s personal experience with Joe Biden: “We Need a Mensch in the White House.”

In the ad, Rabbi Michael Beals describes how then Senator Joe Biden unexpectedly showed up to pay his respects at a shiva (Jewish mourning) service for Sylvia Greenhouse, who donated $18 to his campaign every year, a number that represents chai, or life, in Jewish tradition.

“This is a man who cares about other people,” Rabbi Beals said of Biden. “This is the type of person I want as my president.”

The ad, which will target Jewish voters in key swing states, comes on the heels of JDCA’s successful virtual event, the largest Jewish political event taking place around the DNC, with thousands of supporters joining to learn how the margin of victory for Joe Biden this November could come from Jewish voters in key states. In 2014, 66% of Jewish voters supported Democrats. In 2016, 72% of Jewish voters supported Clinton. That number rose to 79% in the 2018 midterms. JDCA expects both Jewish voter turnout and support of Democrats to grow in 2020, with Biden overcoming the margins of Trump’s victory in 2016 in key states such as Michigan and Florida with Jewish votes alone.

“The trendline is clear: the Jewish vote matters and it still has room to grow,” said Halie Soifer, executive director of JDCA who previously served as vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s national security advisor. “Our votes can make the difference in key states Joe Biden and Kamala Harris need to win the White House this November. We know Jewish voters overwhelmingly support Democrats and we know how to reach them in this election. JDCA’s Virtual Schlep is targeting Jewish voters in key states to elect Biden and flip the Senate from red to blue, and we won’t stop until we ensure victory in November.”

JDCA’s Virtual Schlep will reach more than 1 million Jewish voters across the country through phone banking, text messages, and digital advertising. These efforts include JDCA’s state chapters, grassroots supporters and student fellows, who join together virtually several times a week to call Jewish voters in key swing states.

JDCA today also announced endorsements for 12 House and four Senate candidates. These latest endorsements represent competitive opportunities for Democrats in states including Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia and brings JDCA’s total number of endorsements in 2020 to 105 candidates this cycle, including its endorsement of Biden.

For more information on JDCA’s strategy around the 2020 election or to speak with Halie Soifer, please email [email protected].