Entrance polls showed Jews heavily favored Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), the winner in the Democratic caucuses in Nevada.
Clinton, who won the caucuses Saturday with 50 percent of the vote, scored 67 percent of Nevada’s Jewish vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, according to CNN entrance polls. Many of the state’s Jewish leaders, including U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, had endorsed Clinton.
The win lends momentum to Clinton’s campaign; it comes despite the Culinary Workers Union’s endorsement of her chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) The union, representing many of the state’s casino employees, was believed to be a major force in the state.
Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, won more than half of the overall vote in Nevada; Jews, however, did not register in Republican entrance polls.
Jewish groups had complained to both parties about the Sabbath date for the caucuses.
