Romney Heads to Israel, Poised for Big Gains

Mitt Romney arrives in Israel today, and his visit promises to be a lot more rewarding than his stop in London for the Olympics. The trip is important, writes Eli Lake at the Daily Beast, because Romney is poised to make inroads among Jewish voters in the US as no Republican has in years. GOP presidential candidates generally have trouble cracking the 25% mark, but one pro-Obama expert thinks it's possible for Romney to hit 35%.

That's especially important this fall because Jewish voters make up "one of Ohio and Florida’s most pivotal constituencies," notes Politico. Working in Romney's favor is his long and chummy relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu. That's in contrast to President Obama's frosty one, along with a perception that his White House has not been a strong supporter of Israel. What's more, Romney's big backer is Jewish casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson, who not only will be in Israel with Romney but will host a fundraiser for him there. (More Mitt Romney 2012 stories.)