The apparent persistence of Jewish liberalism contradicts the belief that upward economic mobility leads to political conservatism among immigrant groups. However, some have suggested that Jews are losing their political distinctiveness from non-Jewish whites. The authors analyzed the 1993 Los Angeles mayoral election. A near majority of Jews voted against the liberal candidate and for the moderate Republican candidate, yet Jews and non-Jewish whites differed markedly on partisan and ideological dimensions. Although Jews may not always vote for liberal candidates, major political differences between Jews and non-Jewish whites remain. Jews continue to resist the general trend of other European immigrant groups to “become white.”
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