In its first reaction to the Democratic loss, CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports, the Obama re-election campaign dismissed the 2012 implications. When it comes to gauging Mr. Obama's re-election prospects, a campaign official said, "The main point is to take a look at... the president's national standing in battleground states."
The official noted New York's 9th district was Mr. Obama's second-worst New York City district in the '08 election. "There are a high proportion of voters in this district who voted for Bush and McCain - so this is not a new trend it is a continuation of a trend," the official said.
The campaign is also downplaying any notion that the results indicate Jews are turning against the president. "President Obama performs extremely well among Jewish voters overall," they said.
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Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said in a statement that "without question, Obama's policies are causing significant numbers of Jewish voters to re-examine their loyalty to the Democratic Party."
Meanwhile, National Jewish Democratic Council president David Harris said, "This election was about many things --but not Israel." He pointed to polling that suggested voters weren't voting on that issue, and he said both candidates supported a strong U.S. relationship with Israel.
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