How long will it take for America’s Jewish population to begin politically realigning? Israel is the sticking point: It has stuck America’s Jewish population between Democrats’ increasing opposition to Israel and American Jews’ historical support for Democrats. This divergence of reality from legacy has real implications for American politics.
America’s Jewish population has long been a stalwart supporter of the Democrat Party. The 2024 presidential election was no exception. CNN’s exit polling found that 78% of Jewish voters supported Kamala Harris; only 22% voted for Donald Trump. The Jewish partisan split was greater than that for any other religious group and rivaled that of blacks (86%) as one of Democrats’ strongest supporters.
Beyond votes, America’s Jewish community makes substantial political contributions. According to a 2018 article in the Jerusalem Post, America’s Jewish population contributes up to 50% of the Democrat Party’s funding (versus 25% of the Republican Party’s).
Yet for all this outsized support, Democrats are increasingly not reciprocating – especially when it comes to Israel. A recent survey by Pew Research found “eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents currently have an unfavorable view of Israel.” The contrast is astounding: While 78% of America’s Jewish community voted for Democratic candidates in 2024, 80% of Democrats view Israel unfavorably.
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