New York Jewish Week: Democratic Voters Seen ‘Nuanced’ On Israel

May 22, 2019

By Shira Hanau

As pollsters try to tease out the potential results of an overstuffed Democratic presidential primary field, a portrait is beginning to emerge of what Democratic primary voters — and Jewish voters who comprise an important chunk of that electorate — want in a potential challenger to President Trump when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other issues.

Two new polls — one from J Street, the dovish lobby group, and one from the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute — make clear that Democratic primary voters want the United States to be an “honest broker” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that Jewish voters and Democratic primary voters believe one can be pro-Israel while criticizing the Israeli government.

“People are following the issue [the Israeli-Palestinian conflict], they are supportive of Israel, but they also hold very nuanced views,” said pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies, the firm that conducted the J Street poll.

While still eight months away from the first Democratic caucus vote in Iowa, the polls may help define the terms of Democratic debate around Israel. While support for Israel has long been the standard in the party, recent years have seen parts of the party re-evaluating its longstanding positions regarding Israel. The 2018 midterm elections brought several new faces to Congress, some of whom have espoused support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel or interest in reviewing America’s financial support for Israel.

While the activist wing of the party views its upsets against longtime Democratic members of Congress as a victory over the party’s centrist establishment, the presidential primary may become an even stronger referendum on the direction for the party. While support for Israel may come under scrutiny in that fight, recent polling suggests it is unlikely to determine the outcome.

Last week’s J Street poll suggests that Democratic primary voters largely do not prioritize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in their voting decisions, and that Democratic party voters are more inclined towards a candidate who is viewed as a “neutral broker” between the Israelis and Palestinians than one perceived to lean towards one side.

The survey, which was conducted between May 1 and May 5 via landlines and cell phones and included responses from 800 likely Democratic presidential primary voters, showed that Democrats are loathe to choose one side over the other in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

When presented with a choice between a hypothetical candidate who “supports both Israel and the Palestinians,” “supports Israel” or “supports Palestinians,” 75 percent of those polled chose the candidate who supports both. When asked if one could be critical of Israeli government policy while still being pro-Israel, 81 percent of respondents said yes.

The Jewish Electorate Institute’s poll, which surveyed 1,000 Jewish voters and was conducted online between May 6 and May 12, suggested a similar dynamic. While 90 percent of respondents to the JEI poll identified themselves as pro-Israel, 53 percent of those polled were critical of at least some of Israel’s current government policies, suggesting that pro-Israel voters are not a monolith.

“This poll helps to define a new playbook for Democratic candidates on Israel and Palestine,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s president, of the J Street poll in a call with reporters last week. “The preferred position for Democratic primary voters is to find a candidate who recognizes that there needs to be a balance between both sides.”

When asked to rate their feelings towards Israel and the Palestinians, less than half of respondents to the J Street poll said they had a favorable view of either Israel or the Palestinians, with 41 percent viewing Israel favorably versus 16 percent viewing Israel unfavorably, and 32 percent viewing the Palestinians favorably and 19 percent viewing the Palestinians unfavorably. Of those who follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict very closely, 53 percent viewed Israel favorably and 20 percent viewed it unfavorably.

But the priority given to Israel in respondents’ voting decisions seems to be low. While a large portion of respondents follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “closely,” just 19 percent of respondents said they follow the conflict “very closely.” Older respondents followed the conflict much more closely than younger respondents, with 71 percent of respondents over age 65 saying they follow the conflict closely compared to 49 percent of those ages 18-29 who said the same.

Jewish voters seem to be equally disinclined to prioritize Israel over domestic issues. Respondents to the JEI survey ranked Israel lowest in a list of 16 policy priorities for Jewish voters. Issues like protecting Medicare and Social Security, making affordable health care available to all Americans, and enacting gun safety laws were among the highest priorities for Jewish voters.

For Jewish voters surveyed by JEI, anti-Semitism may be a more pressing issue when it comes time to vote in 2020. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents said they believed the United States is currently less secure for Jews than it was two years ago. When asked whether President Trump was “at least partially responsible” for attacks on synagogues, Jewish voters were less united, with 59 percent saying he bore some responsibility and 41 percent saying he did not. A majority, 71 percent, disapproved of President Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism.

Summarizing the poll, Stan Greenberg of Greenberg Research, which conducted the survey, said, “The results demonstrate that domestic issues dominate the policy priorities of the Jewish community as they determine which candidate to support in the 2020 election, as opposed to issues related to Israel, which remains the lowest policy priority of Jewish voters. The results also demonstrate that the Jewish American electorate remains overwhelmingly opposed to President Trump, motivated largely by the Jewish community’s positions on domestic policy issues.”

J Street’s Ben-Ami emphasized the political risk for Democratic candidates who are aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has cultivated a close relationship with President Trump, even going so far as to name a new settlement in the Golan Heights after the American president. (Many in the Jewish community have hailed President Trump for moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights; liberal groups have pointed out that the unilateral nature of the moves is problematic.)

Democratic voters seemed to reject the closeness of the Trump-Netanyahu relationship in their responses to J Street’s poll. When presented with the description of “a candidate who says he or she strongly supports Israel, and the United States must stand behind all of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies,” 61 percent said they would be less likely to vote for that candidate. Of “a candidate who says the United States should continue financial and military aid to Israel without any restrictions, regardless of whether Israel expands settlements or annexes Palestinian territory,” 69 percent said they would be less likely to support that candidate.

The J Street poll suggested that the BDS movement — which has been a target of those on the Jewish right and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle — was even less of a priority for Democratic primary voters. When asked about the movement against Israel, 63 percent of voters said they had not heard of it. Among those who said they follow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, just 6 percent said they had heard “a great deal” about it and 7 percent said they had heard “a good amount” about it. When asked if they supported legislation that would penalize BDS supporters, 61 percent of those who opposed BDS said they opposed legislation to penalize those who boycott Israel.

“Democratic voters do not know what that movement [BDS] is, and the movement has no real support or opposition among Democratic voters,” said Ben-Ami. “BDS is a non-issue and the legislation to combat it is unpopular.”

Pulse of The Jewish Voter Amidst Iran War Shows Engagement In A Host of Issues

April 15, 2026
U.S. JEWS VOTING DEM IN CONGRESS MIDTERMS YET QUESTION WHAT PARTY STANDS FOR, ESP. ON ISRAEL JEWISH R ’ s MOST ID ’ d AS PRO-ISRAEL, NEW POLL SHOWS United in Support of Israel ’ s Right to Exist as Jewish Homeland But Mixed Concepts of Zionism Jews see too much Israel criticism playing into antisemitism While most Jews feel too many Israel supporters use antisemitism claims to avoid legitimate policy debate WASHINGTON – The latest Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) poll shows American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans, on the other hand, are most identified as being pro-Israel, which is also one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. Meanwhile, amid debates in the Jewish community over Israel, war in Iran and election politics, American Jews are united in support of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and homeland for the Jewish people. However, there are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that play into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). Previous JEI analyses and releases centered on U.S. Jews’ pro-Israel identity and their criticism of the government, support for pro-Israel spending in the primaries and the popularity of AIPAC, DMFI and J Street. Also, on what American Jews would likely discuss at the Passover seder tables.

JEI's Spring 2026 Latest Poll

April 15, 2026
Jewish Voters Highly Engaged, Prioritize Domestic Issues; Strong Support for Israel and Caution on Military Action and Advocacy This recent March 2026 national survey finds that American Jewish adults overwhelmingly affirm Israel’s right to exist while also expressing caution about the current U.S. military escalation in Iran. Views on pro-Israel political spending, however, remain mixed. AIPAC has an overall favorable impression of 39%, DMFI 32%, and J Street 18%. Some key findings also include the following: Turnout and partisanship: Registered respondents report their very high intention to turn out for the November 2026 midterm elections. About seven in ten identify as Democrats (many strongly), roughly one in four compared to Republicans, with the remainder being made up of Independents. Democrats hold a substantial advantage in hypothetical congressional votes in respondents’ districts. Donald Trump receives broad net disapproval, and Benjamin Netanyahu is viewed unfavorably by more respondents than favorably. Israel and Zionism: There are mixed signals over the concept of Zionism, with the majority seeing Zionism favorably, but only a third calling themselves Zionists. Roughly seven in ten hold a favorable view of Israel; 87% endorse Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland. Most see Zionism as Jewish self‑determination, though only a third self‑identify as Zionist. A surprisingly large number are unsure about the definition of Zionism. Foreign policy and military action: A majority of respondents oppose current U.S. military action against Iran and say the president should have sought congressional approval for strikes. Many prioritize preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons but favor clear objectives and oversight over unilateral escalation. 2026 Midterm Elections & Party Affiliations: American Jews are voting heavily Democratic in the midterm election for Congress. At the same time, Jews have questions about what the Democratic Party stands for, particularly on Israel. Jewish Republicans are most identified as pro-Israel, which is one of their biggest image advantages over Democrats. Pro‑Israel advocacy and spending: Opinions are split on outside groups spending in primaries—about a third support such spending, a third oppose it, and many are undecided. Respondents are nearly evenly divided on whether aggressive outside intervention helps or harms U.S.–Israel relations. Antisemitism and public debate: A large majority say some criticism of Israel slips into antisemitic tropes, and a significant share also believes some defenders wrongly label policy criticism as antisemitism. There is also concern about how antisemitism is becoming a part of the increasingly heated discussions over U.S.-Israel issues, by both sides. A large majority of U.S. Jews see too many critics of Israel using language about Jews that plays into antisemitism, whether intended or not. At the same time, a majority of Jews feel too many supporters of Israel use claims of antisemitism to avoid legitimate debate over policy. Domestic Issues are Important: Democrats are viewed positively on healthcare, abortion rights, fair elections, and middle class advocacy, while Republicans are viewed as pro-Israel but excessively conservative and unwilling to oppose the President. The sample of respondents: The current distribution of Jewish voters by party affiliation: 69% Democratic, 24% Republican, and 7% Independent. Poll respondents are mixed gender, highly educated, and religiously plural within Judaism (Reform and unaffiliated are the largest). About one‑third belong to a synagogue, but religious practice varies. Jewish women Voters: There are more female Democrats likely to hold reinforcing views, contributing to the party's electoral advantage, thereby fueling the midterm margin. The partisan divide is even larger among women. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Jewish women identify as Democrats, including 50% who are strong Democrats, and 24% who identify as Democratic Socialists. Likely Jewish women voters are supporting the Democrats in the generic vote: 78% Democratic, 19% Republican, and only 3% undecided. The Democratic vote margin increases significantly with age among Jewish women. Women ages 18-29 vote +46 Democratic, rising to +60 among those 40–59 and +58 among those 60 and older. These margins exceed those of the overall Jewish electorate, where voters ages 40–59 and 60+ both register a +48 Democratic advantage. The strength of Jewish identity also follows a consistent pattern. Among women who place lower importance on being Jewish, the Democratic advantage is +74, compared to +61 among the overall electorate. Among those who place higher importance on being Jewish, Jewish women still lean more Democratic than the overall electorate, at +41 versus +36. Jewish women are also more likely to disapprove of Trump’s job performance and the current U.S. military action against Iran. They are four points more likely than the overall electorate to disapprove of Trump’s job performance (77% vs. 73%) and the U.S. military action in Iran (59% vs. 55%). Jewish voters combine strong civic engagement and a clear Democratic preference with nuanced views that favor protecting Israel while insisting on democratic oversight, strategic clarity, and careful political tactics. Well-positioned issues that resonate for candidates and organizations in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections include emphasizing support for Israel alongside respect for congressional authority, clear policy goals, and sensitive messaging on antisemitism. "This poll reinforces a simple truth that the Jewish community is not monolithic, and the Jewish vote should not be taken for granted. Their concerns extend beyond Israel and Iran. It also indicates a critical need for education about Israel's history and the meaning of Zionism. These needs have never been more urgent than they are today," said Barbara Goldberg Goldman, JEI Chair. These analyses are based on the final release of the findings of a national survey of 800 Jewish registered voters, with an oversample to yield 600 Jewish women. The survey was conducted for JEI by The Mellman Group using a high-quality online national panel from March 13-23, 2026. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups).

JTA: Most American Jews oppose AIPAC spending in Democratic primaries, survey finds

April 14, 2026
The survey was released one week after another conducted by the Mellman Group and commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that a majority of American Jews have “not heard much” about the role that pro-Israel lobbying groups have played in this year’s early midterm primaries.  The poll, which surveyed 800 registered Jewish voters March 13-23, found that just 11% of American Jews had heard a “great deal” about “the role pro-Israel groups have played in the early 2026 primaries,” while 27% said they’d heard “some” about it. Meanwhile, 62% said they’d either heard “not much,” “none at all” or that they don’t know.