Republican Presidential Candidates Face Off on Foreign Policy at Republican Jewish Coalition Forum

Strategic Insights -

The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) forum on Thursday brought together 13 Republican presidential candidates to speak to a well-informed and pro-Israel audience on foreign policy and their stances on Israel. The event took place on the day after the devastating mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, casting a shadow over the proceedings. The candidates, all vying for support from influential donors and voters, delivered speeches that were highly scrutinized by the audience.

Key Takeaways:

  • Donald Trump drew boos from the audience for refusing to take a position on whether Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of Israel, instead opting to "wait until I meet with Bibi" and downplaying the reaction.
  • Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio emerged as clear favorites of the day, with the two young, Cuban-American senators showcasing their pro-Israel track records and differing approaches to the civil war in Syria.
  • Cruz cautioned against U.S.-spurred regime change and spoke out against the Obama administration seeking to remove Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Rubio had harsh words for that perspective, saying leaving Assad in place creates the conditions for "the next ISIS."
  • Jeb Bush found a warm reception at the RJC forum, where he still has many important boosters, despite his recent drop in poll numbers. He was met with a standing ovation and cheering crowd, and his speech focused on his pro-Israel stance and his family's ties to the nation.
  • Terrorism dominated the discussion at RJC, with many candidates addressing the San Bernardino shooting at the beginning of their remarks and differing on whether to call it terrorism. Cruz and Christie both used the event to assert that the attack was a terrorist attack, while Fiorina used her comments to attack Clinton for her tweet on gun control.
  • Carly Fiorina attacked Hillary Clinton for her tweet on gun control while the San Bernardino shooting was unfolding, using the incidents to attack Clinton's handling of terrorism.
  • Jerusalem was a universal hot topic, with all candidates declaring their support for moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, except for Trump, who was booed for his lack of a stance on the issue.
  • All candidates except Trump stated their support for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, with most using the event to reiterate their commitment to pro-Israel policies.

Statistics:

  • 13 Republican presidential candidates attended the RJC forum.
  • Trump accounted for the biggest crowd of the day despite drawing boos from the audience for refusing to take a position on Jerusalem's status.
  • Cruz and Rubio emerged as top contenders in the polls behind front-runner Trump, according to latest survey data.
  • A majority of candidates called the San Bernardino shooting a terrorist attack, with Cruz and Christie both using the event to assert that it was a terrorist attack.
  • 100% of candidates declared their support for moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, except for Trump.

Sources:

  • CNN WASHINGTON (CNN)
  • CNN article cited in the original document