Jewish voters, though a small percentage of the American electorate, are a subject of significant political discussion as the midterm elections approach. While Republicans have sought to attract Jewish voters by emphasizing support for Israel and linking criticism of the country to antisemitism, and Democrats highlight concerns about rising antisemitism within conservative movements, polling data suggests a more complex set of priorities for this demographic.
Historically, Jewish Americans have leaned heavily Democratic, with 60 to 80 percent consistently voting for the party's candidates since 2008. While there was a modest shift toward Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, with some Jewish communities in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania showing a larger swing, the overall Democratic alignment remains strong. Experts suggest this consistency is due to a combination of factors, including a generally liberal ideological bent, alignment with Democratic stances on social issues such as abortion rights, and a strong opposition to Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Within the Jewish electorate, denominational differences are apparent. Nondenominational, Reform, and Conservative Jews predominantly lean Democratic and have shown stability in their voting patterns. In contrast, Orthodox Jews, a smaller but growing segment, are more likely to lean Republican, express stronger support for Trump, and have shown a rightward shift in recent years.
Recent polling indicates that domestic concerns are the leading priorities for Jewish voters. A national AP-NORC survey found that more than 80 percent of Jewish adults consider the economy and healthcare to be top priorities. Similarly, polling for the Jewish Electorate Institute and the Jewish Voters Resource Center identified the future of democracy and cost of living/affordability as key issues. Concerns over antisemitism, however, have emerged as a significant unifying anxiety, with 25 percent of Jewish voters citing it as a top concern and 62 percent feeling less safe following October 7.
Views on Israel are nuanced. While an overwhelming majority of American Jews identify as pro-Israel, there is a significant divergence on Israeli government policies. Polling shows a general disapproval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many distinguishing between legitimate policy debate and antisemitism. While nearly nine in 10 American Jews consider themselves pro-Israel, only about a quarter also support current Israeli government policies. A larger group, six in 10, are pro-Israel but critical of Israeli policies, with half critical of some policies and the other half critical of many.
There is also a prevalent sentiment that criticism of Israel is sometimes wrongly conflated with antisemitism, with a majority of American Jews agreeing that "too many supporters of Israel claim any criticism of Israel is antisemitism as a way to avoid legitimate debate over Israeli policy." Conversely, a strong majority also agree that "too many critics of Israel use tropes and generalizations about Jews to play into antisemitism, whether they mean to or not."
Despite these complex views on Israel, it is often not the primary deciding factor in vote choice. Instead, domestic issues and concerns about personal safety and rising antisemitism appear to be the most pressing concerns for Jewish voters heading into the midterm elections. Many Jewish Americans express a sense of political dissatisfaction, feeling not entirely supported by either major party. The evolving discourse within the Democratic Party regarding Israel and related issues may become a more significant pressure point in future election cycles.