Governor Rick Perry Works to Keep Jews Democratic

Jason Attermann — July 5, 2011 – 4:39 pm | Republicans | Separation of Church & State Comments (0) Add a comment

Texas Governor Rick Perry’s (R) association with radically conservative religious groups helps to remind the majority of American Jews why they remain Democrats. Though Perry has yet to publicly announce his intent to run for the GOP presidential nomination, his past actions and endorsements are proof enough of the massive ideological distance between him and the American Jewish community. As Time Magazine reports, his “social conservative bona fides” include:

* Signed a gay marriage ban into law at a Christian school in Fort Worth with evangelical heavyweights Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), Rod Parsley (Ohio mega-church pastor), and Don Wildmon (American Family Association) in attendance

* The Sunday before his 2006 re-election, Perry attended Cornerstone Church and sat by the side of controversial pastor John Hagee (in 2008, John McCain had to reject Hagee’s endorsement after critics pointed out the pastor’s many extreme statements, including calling the Catholic Church “the whore of Babylon”)

* Supported and was a primary beneficiary of the Texas Restoration Project, an effort to increase the electoral involvement of conservative pastors

All of this, however, pales beside Perry’s current project-a Christian all-day prayer event called ‘The Response’ on August 6 in Houston. The governor is sponsoring the event along with the American Family Association, which is footing the estimated $1.5 million tab for the gathering. The Response is intended for Christians only, although one spokesman said that if people of other faiths attend, he hopes they will see the light and ‘seek out the living Christ’ for their lives.

The conservative groups have little in common with the American Jewish community. Perry’s involvement with these groups, along with the questionable associations and beliefs by many of his Republican colleagues, only further separates today’s Republican Party from the majority of American Jews. Because of Republican leaders like Perry, the Democratic Party remains the natural home for American Jews and the only party that can be counted on to truly represent Jewish values.

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