A recent survey from the Manhattan Institute indicates that US Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to perform worse among Jewish voters in the upcoming election than any previous Democratic presidential candidate, according to the results from early October.
The survey asked 658 Jewish voters across the US about their thoughts on the upcoming election, issues facing the Jewish community, and other public-related issues.
In the past, Jewish voters have mainly backed the Democratic Party, but concerns about rising antisemitism and lack of support for Israel within the party are causing some to reconsider.
The poll found that Harris struggles with issues like "security, Israel, and antisemitism" compared to former President Donald Trump, who has been outspoken in his support of Israel.
Most Jewish voters support Israel, with only 5% opposing it, leading many to reconsider their election support.
View on public matters
Jewish voters strongly align with Democrats on abortion issues; even many Jewish Republicans identify as pro-choice. However, their opinions on immigration and economic policies do not align with either party, according to the study.
The survey indicated that Jewish voters are concerned about government spending but support a tax increase for those with higher incomes.
On immigration, they are shown to support allowing highly skilled workers into the US but want the government to be more proactive in vetting applicants. When it comes to crime, most Jewish voters side with Republicans, feeling the current justice system is too lenient.
Another issue highlighted is Jewish voters' support for laws banning face masks during protests, especially following recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations where masked protesters have been accused of intimidating Jewish students and others.
Additionally, a majority of Jewish voters think the media’s portraying Israel is unfair and that the US doesn’t put enough interest in Jewish-related groups, like the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, or Combat Antisemitism.
The result is that more Jewish voters are now open to supporting the Republican party in the election, while only one-third report that they will still support the Democrats.
The survey was conducted using a sample drawn from a national voter file and online panels, then weighted to match the population of likely Jewish voters on gender, age, and college education. Responses were collected using mixed methods, including SMS-to-web and online outreach. The poll’s margin of error is +/—3.8%.