Evangelicals

Note: I wrote this article for Jewish News Service with the help of my friend and fellow writer, Bethany Blankley, who I am indebted to for her knowledge and fearless research skills. Seventeen Republican presidential candidates are vying for the support of evangelical Christian voters from the swing states of Ohio and Florida, to the cornfields of Iowa, to the small towns of the Deep South. Within the varied spectrum of 2016 election issues such as the economy, immigration, and health care, do evangelicals highly prioritize candidates’ positions on Israel and the Middle East? Major evangelical leaders in America are saying, “Yes.” “Studies show us there are approximately 90 million Christians in America who consider their beliefs to be evangelical,” Tony Perkins—president of the Family Research Council (FRC), a Christian education and lobbying group—told JNS.org. “Of that number around 9-10 percent have what we call a ‘biblical worldview,’ in that they believe what the scriptures say pertaining to Israel. That’s a large number of voters who can definitely make a difference in a primary or general election.” Perkins said, “Among core evangelical voters, Israel is easily one of the top 10, maybe even the top five issues when considering who [...]