Jackson Gets Large Jewish Vote in New York’s Primary Election

Large majorities in New York State’s Jewish and working class Catholic communities gave Sen. Henry M. Jackson a victory in yesterday’s Democratic primary, keeping alive his hopes for the party’s nomination for the Presidency. But the Washington Senator did not win the majority he had expected.

The New York Presidential primary, unlike other states, provides separate contests in each of the state’s 39 Congressional Districts where voters chose delegates from their areas to represent them at the Democratic National Convention in New York City in July. In addition, 68 at-large delegates are apportioned among the candidates according to the number of delegates they won.

Jackson, who won 90 delegates yesterday, piled up tremendous majorities in heavily Jewish neighborhoods where he had been a long-time favorite for his support of Israel and of Soviet Jewry. In Brooklyn’s 13th Congressional District which takes in Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island and Brighton Beach, considered one of the most heavily populated Jewish districts in the country, he won a huge vote and as much as 2-1 ahead of Rep. Morris Udall of Arizona, who finished second winning 69 delegates.

Jackson gained similar victories in Brooklyn’s Flatbush and Boro Park, both areas which also include heavy concentrations of Orthodox Jews as well as in the large Jewish areas of the Bronx and Queens. Udall, who was the leading liberal candidate, did best in Manhattan where he captured most of the delegates in that borough. He did well there among Jewish voters, especially on Manhattan’s West Side where Jews tend to be younger and more liberal.

CARTER FLUNKS IN JEWISH DISTRICTS

Former Governor Jimmy Carter, who won 33 delegates, did not do well in the Jewish districts. A total of 39 delegates elected yesterday were uncommitted. At least 16 of these said they would support Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D.Minn.), who is not an official candidate. Many on the committed slates are known to favor Humphrey. The Minnesota Senator would be expected to do well among Jewish voters for whom he has been a long-time favorite.

The Jewish vote was heavily courted in the New York primary since Jews total more than 2 million registered voters, four times as many as in any other state. A larger percentage of Jews vote in primaries than do other ethnic groups.

Jackson, who has been courting the Jewish vote for five years, criss-crossed the state but concentrated his campaign on the Jewish districts and the working class Catholic areas of New York City. He received the support of Mayor Abraham Beame and former United Nations Ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan who was elected as a Jackson delegate. But some Jews criticized Jackson for playing on Jewish fears for Israel and Soviet Jewry. This was stressed by the liberal New York Post which supported Udall.

Udall at first seemed to write off New York State saying he could not defeat Jackson because of his support by Jews and labor unions. But while concentrating on the Wisconsin campaign which he narrowly lost yesterday to Carter, Udall in the last several weeks made a definite appeal for the Jewish vote here. He voiced his support of Israel and opposed providing Egypt with American weapons, including the C-130 transport planes.

Carter also made a strong appeal for the Jewish vote in the final week of the campaign including a special meeting with Jewish leaders where he expressed his strong support for Israel as an American and as a religious person.