Jewish support for the Democrat Party has dipped to its lowest percentage in 40 years according to a poll released Friday from the Manhattan Institute.
Vice President Kamala Harris currently enjoys the support of 67% of Jewish voters compared to 31% who favor former President Donald Trump. While Harris will undoubtably capture the majority of Jewish votes this election cycle, the figure represents a steep drop since former President Bill Clinton captured 80% of the Jewish vote in 1992 and the lowest since the Ronald Reagan era.
Following the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas on Jewish civilians in Israel, many American Jews witnessed what they felt was a mixed response from the White House coupled with rampant antisemitism on college campuses. Although Jewish voters tend to favor Democrats on most issues, the Biden Administration’s fluctuating support for Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has forced some American Jews to rethink they’re allegiance with Democrats. Support of Israel among Jewish voters is at 86% while 62% say they are concerned about antisemitism within the Democratic Party.
Jesse Arm, chief of staff at the Manhattan Institute, said the findings show Jewish voters view “security, Israel, and antisemitism” as weak points for Harris compared to Trump. “This is evidenced by the fact that Jews are almost universally supportive of Israel - a mere 5% of Jewish voters say they are not supporters of the Jewish state,” Arm said.
Harris’ primary support from withing the Jewish community comes from the Reform, unaffiliated, or nondenominational Jews. The survey noted that a third of Jewish voters say abortion is the most important campaign issue in 2024, compared to most Americans who view the economy as their primary concern.
The Manhattan Institute polled surveyed 658 registered Jewish voters across the U.S. between October 5-9 and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.8%.