President Biden’s support among Jewish voters appears to be holding steady amid signs of broader strain between Democrats and Israel.
Biden can’t afford to lose support from Jewish voters, a key Democratic voting bloc, as worries grow that young liberal voters will flee the president over his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.
He faces deep anger and unruly protests from the left that many Democrats worry could cost him the election, at a time when former President Trump leads in a number of battleground surveys.
A poll released Monday by the American Jewish Committee found widespread alarm among Jews about growing anti-Semitism.
But the poll found there has not been a stampede of support among Jewish voters toward Trump, though Biden’s standing has slipped some since 2020.
- The poll found that 61 percent of Jewish voters support Biden. In the 2020 election, by comparison, Biden drew 68 percent of the vote among Jewish voters.
- Trump only registered 23 percent in the latest poll, after getting about 30 percent support in the 2020 election. Ten percent said they’d vote for someone else, and 6 percent said they would not vote in 2024.
Biden’s lead among Jewish voters appears to be holding, even as 93 percent said antisemitism is a problem, with 87 percent saying it has increased since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Eight-five percent of Jews said it’s important for the U.S. to continue its support for Israel.
Biden has at times run cross-wise with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military response to the Oct. 7 attacks. Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly played up his close ties to Netanyahu and claims his administration would be a stronger ally for Israel.
The White House is straddling a fine line as it seeks to negotiate a cease-fire between Israel, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, and the U.S.-designated terror group Hamas.
Biden has repeatedly scolded Israel and his administration has withheld certain weapons over growing civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, even while asserting Israel’s right to defend itself.
The president faces pressure from the left to go farther.
Over the weekend, thousands of pro-Palestinian activists marched in Washington to denounce Biden, some carrying ghoulish effigies of the president with blood on his hands.
In Michigan, a critical battleground with a large Arab and Muslim population, Vice President Harris was interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protester on Saturday at the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner.
In Chicago, police are already preparing for chaos ahead of Biden’s nominating convention in July.
And more than 500,000 Democrats have voted “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary to protest Biden.
The left was newly outraged over the weekend after the Israeli military carried out an operation to free four hostages taken by Hamas, with scores of Palestinians reportedly killed in the raid.
The political pressure facing Biden will be on full display next month as Netanyahu travels to Washington to address a joint session of Congress.
A growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers say they’ll boycott Netanyahu’s July 24 address. That list includes key Biden allies and centrists, such as Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.).
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