This interview is part of Moment’s Jewish Political Voices Project. To learn more about the project, click here. To see our other participants, click here. To see all posts from David, click here.
Age: 44
Occupation: Real estate investor/apartment manager
Location: Florida
Party Registration: Republican
Jewish Denomination: Orthodox
2020 Vote: Donald Trump
Current 2024 Vote: Donald Trump
News Sources: POLITICO, The Hill, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, The Wall Street Journal
Who are you voting for and why?
I will vote for Donald Trump, because I’m concerned about how the Democrats will govern on Israel—especially with Joe Biden gone. Trump will be more supportive of Israel and won’t be pressuring them as much as Harris. Biden, in my opinion, has been uniquely pro-Israel, especially for a Democratic president in modern times. And I have no expectation that that would continue.
I have a lot of concerns about Trump. I definitely share the indignation about everything surrounding January 6. It was just a horrible moment for our nation. But I guess I’m just prioritizing what I see as the considerations of the future versus the past. It’s a fair question to say, given what happened in the past, what would the future be? But I think it’s just putting together the totality of the circumstances and then coming down to where I feel more comfortable. I do admit to a Republican bias. I’ve never denied that. But these are not my optimal choices.
Would you have voted for Biden?
It’d be something that I would be still considering. Obviously the Democratic Party isn’t weighing who should run based on winning over voters like David Wolkinson. But I do have a lot of respect for Biden and his record on Israel, among other things. And I don’t have the same unique respect for Vice President Harris. But I understand why Harris replacing Biden was such a popular thing on the Democratic side. It has excited their voters, and I think it’s helped with independents. Politically, I think it appears to be a home run. But Joe Biden has a long-standing record of support for Israel. I remember him saying it wasn’t the role of the American government to tell Israel what their security needs are.
When you’re talking about the prime minister of Israel, you’re talking about the leader of a nation that’s a good friend. There’s a certain degree of courtesy that you display even if you don’t like that particular individual. Israel is in such a perilous position that I don’t want any American president coming in there and pressuring them to do things that they don’t want to do. And I don’t think Biden has, and I don’t think Trump would. But I guess I do think Harris would.
Do you think the country is in for a tough time politically no matter who wins?
I have great fear for the future. You know, I’m an optimist. I read once that an early Zionist said, “I’m an optimist. I have to be!” I’m a Zionist, so I’ve always tried to live by that. And President Ronald Reagan, who was somebody I looked up to as a kid, always identified as an optimist. So I like to be optimistic, but I do have a lot of concern about Israel. I’m also concerned about what would happen in Ukraine if Trump wins, because certainly his public position to date has been what I would say is quite irresponsible. But who knows what his actual policies will be.