Press Release: Domestic Issues Are Priority for 2020 Jewish Voters
New Poll from Jewish Electorate Institute Demonstrates that Jewish Voters Feel Less Secure, Hold Trump Responsible for Recent Synagogue Attacks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dee Donavanik press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org
WASHINGTON – New poll findings released today by Greenberg Research on behalf of the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) found that the Jewish electorate is overwhelmingly driven by domestic policy issues, particularly health care and immigration, as well anti-Semitism and rising insecurity due to white nationalists threats.
“This poll confirms that the Jewish electorate prioritizes domestic policy issues above all others,” said Ralph Grunewald, chairman of the JEI Board. “It also affirms that the Jewish community feels less secure than before President Trump took office and is deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in America in the past two years.”
Polls indicate that Jewish voters overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump’s handling of nearly every issue, including the rise of anti-Semitism. Moreover, a majority of Jewish voters say they feel less secure under a Trump administration and hold the president at least partially responsible for recent deadly shooting attacks on synagogues.
Jewish 2020 Voters and the Issues
- Jewish voters indicated that priority issues (most/very important) when deciding which candidate to support include: protecting Medicare and Social Security (87%), improving the economy and creating jobs (86%), and access to affordable healthcare (80%).
- Nearly three quarters (73%) feel less secure than they did two years ago.
- This coincides with a rise (since JEI’s October 2018 poll ) in Jewish voters prioritizing security issues such as: combating terrorism (82%), combating the influence of white supremacists and the far right (78%) and enacting gun safety laws (79%).
- Israel remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters, with candidates’ stance on Israel ranking at the bottom of a list of 16 policy priority issues for a second year in a row.
Jewish Voters on Trump
- 71% unfavorably view President Trump’s job performance and 70% disapprove of him overall.
- 71% disapprove of the way President Trump has handled anti-Semitism, which is a slight increase since JEI’s October 2018 poll.
- Nearly 60% believe President Trump has at least some responsibility for the shootings at synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway, and a plurality (38%) have concerns that Trump is encouraging violent ultra-right extremists.
- 67% would vote today for a generic Democratic candidate over President Trump and 65% would vote for Democrat Joe Biden over President Trump.
“This is a unique time where three quarters of Jewish voters feel less secure over the last two years because of new worries related to white nationalist violence, and nearly 60 percent say that President Donald Trump has at least some responsibility for the rise of anti-Semitic attacks,” said Stanley Greenberg, CEO and founder of Greenberg Research. “That has greatly affected the priorities of Jewish voters who strongly disapprove of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. They want not only to protect retirement and health care, they want government that addresses the rise of anti-Semitism and white nationalist violence.”
A more detailed memo on the poll’s findings can be found here.
About Jewish Electorate Institute
The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in August 2018 with a mission to deepen the public’s understanding of the Jewish electorate and mobilize the Jewish vote in future elections. The primary focus is to provide public information about the Jewish electorate, lead non-partisan Get Out the Jewish Vote (GOTJV) efforts and encourage civic engagement in the Jewish community.
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