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Ahead of 2024 election, Jewish support for Democrats drops dramatically

Kamala Harris losing American Jewish voters, new survey shows, with Democratic support from Jews projected to fall to lowest level in 40 years.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

American Jewish support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign appears to be waning, even as the Democratic ticket retains the support of a majority of American Jews, a new study shows.

Since the 1924 election, every Democratic presidential ticket has received the support of an absolute majority of American Jews, according to data collected by the Jewish Virtual Library.

Over the past three decades, Democratic candidates have won roughly 70% to 80% of the Jewish vote.

Now, however, Jewish support for the party appears to be ebbing, with a new survey suggesting Vice President Harris is poised to receive the smallest share of the Jewish vote of any Democratic presidential candidate since Walter Mondale lost in a 49-state landslide to the incumbent, Ronald Reagan, in 1984.

According to a survey conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), 63% of American Jews say they plan to vote for Harris, compared to 24% who said they plan to vote for former President Donald Trump.

The remaining 13% are undecided or told pollsters they back third-party candidates.

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While Trump’s support does not mark an increase over his estimated performance among Jewish voters in 2020 or 2016, Harris’ numbers place her level of support among American Jews below that of every Democratic standard-bearer since 1984, when polls showed just 57% of Jews voted for Mondale.

By comparison, President Joe Biden is estimated to have won 68% of the Jewish vote in 2020, down from 71% who, according to polls voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.

President Obama received 78% of the Jewish vote in 2008 and 69% in 2012.

“American Jewry is not monolithic,” said JPPI President Prof. Yedidia Stern. “Conservatives who support Trump view Israel and antisemitism as primary factors when they vote.”

“Liberal Harris supporters, the majority group, do not see Israel as central to their voting decisions. However, among ‘swing voters,’ a large majority believe that the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel has been insufficient. In a close race, stronger support for Israel could benefit Harris.”