Washington Jewish Week: Jews Still Overwhelmingly Democrat, Survey Finds

October 17, 2018

By Jesse Bernstein

Just over three quarters of American Jews have an unfavorable view of President Donald Trump, and 74 percent of them plan to vote for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections, according to a new poll from The Jewish Electorate Institute, a new group founded by Jewish Democrats and released on Wednesday.

Though those findings track with decades of prior data — Jews have largely voted Democrat since the beginning of the 20 th  century, and no presidential candidate has ever bested the 43 percent of the Jewish electorate captured by Warren G. Harding’s 1920 campaign — other findings revealed some interesting tensions created by the Trump era.

Though 24 percent of the 800 respondents said that they had a favorable view of Trump, 51 percent said that they approved of the way he had handled U.S.-Israel relations. 41 percent approved of the decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and 6 percent said that they’d consider voting for him based on his work on U.S.-Israel relations alone, despite their other reservations about his time in office.

In addition, 64percent said that they believed the Democrats to be a “pro-Israel” party, and 84 percent of those identifying as Democrats also identified as “pro-Israel.”

“Israel policy is not going to win Republicans any votes in November,” said Hailie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America.

The Republican Jewish Coalition did not respond to a request for comment.

The poll was conducted by The Mellman Group, which has polled for Democrats and Jewish and other groups.

The issue of being “pro-Israel” had large internal factions: 32 percent described themselves as both pro-Israel and supportive of its policies; 35 percent said that they’re supportive of Israel, but remain critical of some policies; and 24 percent responded that they were pro-Israel but critical of “many” policies. Just 3 percent said that they were “generally not pro-Israel.”

Healthcare was Trump’s worst-polling issue with the Jewish voters surveyed. Seventy-eight percent responded that they disapproved of the job he’d done thus far. Eighty-three percent listed “making quality affordable healthcare available to every American” as “very important” when it came to deciding how they vote.

By contrast, 52 percent ranked Israel as “very important” to how they will vote.

Statement from the Jewish Electorate Institute On The Antisemitic Cold Blooded Murders in Sydney Australia

December 15, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2025 Media Contact: Steve Rabinowitz press@jewishelectorateinstitute.org Jewish Electorate Institute Statement on Antisemitic Murders in Sydney, Australia Washington, D.C. - The Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) mourns the victims, stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Australia, and reaffirms our commitment to confronting antisemitism wherever it appears—through education, accountability, and collective moral clarity. JEI condemns in the strongest possible terms the antisemitic violence that led to the murders at Bondi Beach in Sydney. This horrific act is not only an attack on innocent lives, but an assault on the values of human dignity, pluralism, and safety that democratic societies depend upon. We remain committed to advancing civic engagement, democratic values, and accountability to ensure that antisemitism—wherever it emerges—is confronted early, forcefully, and without political qualification. Antisemitism—whether expressed through rhetoric, intimidation, or violence—has no place in civil society. When hatred is allowed to fester unchecked, it endangers not only Jewish communities but the broader social fabric that protects all minorities. As a nonpartisan organization committed to civic engagement and democratic norms, JEI calls on leaders, institutions, and communities across the political spectrum to speak out clearly and consistently against antisemitism and all forms of hate, and to take meaningful action to prevent violence before it occurs. Make our voices heard by urging elected officials, civic leaders, educators, faith communities, and civil society organizations to act with clarity and resolve. Condemn antisemitism unequivocally. Invest in education that confronts hatred and misinformation and strengthens protections for vulnerable communities. Reject the normalization of rhetoric that dehumanizes or incites violence. Silence and ambiguity enable hate to grow. Collective, principled action can stop it. We must take action now!

JEI Addresses JCRC of Greater Washington and Executive Director Controversy

December 5, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2025 Media Contact: Steve Rabinowitz Bluelight Strategies steve@bluelightstrategies.com

JEI's Voice in National Policy Conversation

December 1, 2025
JEI's work continues to be noted in national-level debates, and is proud to continue to be recognized in national media, including The New York Times this month. Our grassroots work is resonating in national-level policy conversations. As policy debates evolve, JEI remains committed to fostering informed civic engagement, interfaith dialogue, and community mobilization. "...Mr. Goldman and Mr. Espaillat also represent districts with substantial Jewish populations, according to research by the Jewish Electorate Institute . (Mr. Goldman’s district also includes large pockets of immigrant Muslim voters from Bangladesh and other countries.)" Continue to the article here