Comedian Bill Maher asserted on his show "Real Time" that the Democratic Party is generally accepting of public displays of faith, with the notable exception of Judaism.
Maher's remarks came during a discussion with CNN anchor Dana Bash about Texas Democrat James Talarico, who has spoken openly about his Christian faith. Maher quipped that in the Democratic Party, a candidate's faith is welcome "as long as that faith isn’t Jewish." When Bash responded, "Well, you said it," Maher interjected, "Yeah, I said it because it's true!"
Shifting Views on Israel
The commentary from Maher coincides with shifts in public opinion and political discourse regarding Israel. Pew Research Center polling indicates a significant increase in unfavorable views of Israel among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. In 2022, 53% held an unfavorable view, a figure that has since risen to 80%. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 41% hold a negative view, while 58% hold a positive view.
The Democratic Party has seen a number of elected officials and candidates express views critical of Israel. Figures such as Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have been noted for their anti-Israel stances, as has Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
Republican Jewish Coalition Response
Sam Markstein, national political director and spokesman for the Republican Jewish Coalition, agreed with Maher's assessment. He stated that the Republican Party is the only political party where American Jews can be "proudly Jewish and loudly pro-Israel."
Markstein criticized the Democratic Party, citing instances such as Vice President Kamala Harris bypassing Josh Shapiro in 2024 and the presence of elected officials who he claims "traffic in antisemitism." He concluded that the Democratic Party is being reshaped by its progressive base, and leadership is failing to address the exodus of American Jews from the party. The Democratic National Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.