Democratic senator Mr John Kerry is attempting to appeal to Jewish voters by restating his support for Israel.
Mr Kerry, who courted Jewish voters with a little Hebrew, told voters in West Palm Beach, Florida, yesterday that he will do a better job than Mr Bush of "holding those Arab countries accountable for funding terrorism."
A Kerry campaign spokeswoman said the candidate wants to reassure Jews that he will continue his record of fighting for Israel. "By and large the Jewish population in Florida knows who's on their side and who isn't," she said.
Mr Kerry's paternal grandfather was a Czech Jew who immigrated to the United States and changed his name to Kerry from Kohn to escape violent anti-Semitism. His Jewish roots were discovered last year by the Boston Globe, although he hasn't mentioned it during his Florida stops. Instead, he talks about his visits to Israel and his pro-Israeli voting record.
Mr Kerry promised that he would stay engaged in the Middle East and help create a Palestinian entity with which Israel could negotiate. "You don't have one today, so you have to build a fence and you have to do what you are doing," he said.
In 2000, Jews voted 4-to-1 for Democrats Al Gore and Joe Lieberman, the first Jewish candidate on a major party's presidential ticket.
But President Bush has built a reputation as a strong backer of Israel, and has courted Jewish voters in hopes that even a slight increase in support could make a difference in another tight election.