JTA: New survey indicates Jewish Americans will vote for any Democrat — including Sanders — over Trump

February 28, 2020

JTA – No matter who is running on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2020, he or she is likely to get the Jewish vote by a wide margin, according to a new survey.

The survey, released Friday by the Jewish Electoral Institute, found that two-thirds of Jewish voters said they would choose any Democratic candidate over President Donald Trump.

The survey was conducted Feb. 18 to 24, a period that included Sanders’ announcement that he would not attend AIPAC’s annual conference next week. After the announcement,  some pundits suggested  that nominating Sanders would result in Jews preferring the Republican candidate for the first time in contemporary American history. (Four years ago, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received  70% of the Jewish vote. )

But the survey found that even though Jewish voters view Sanders more unfavorably than they his Democratic rivals, they disapprove of Trump far more. While 45% of Jewish voters said they had an unfavorable view of Sanders, who has tied or won the Democratic primary’s first three nominating contests, 61% said they strongly disapprove of Trump (down from a high of 71% in the survey group’s 2018 survey) and 65% would vote for him over the president in an election.

A majority of respondents said they believe “President Trump at least is partially responsible for the targeted attacks on synagogues in recent years,” and 45% said they believed Trump was emboldening far-right extremists and white nationalists, up from 38% a year ago.

The survey found that a majority of respondents — 66% of whom identified as Democrats and 26% as Republicans — favored Trump’s positions on a handful of Israel issues, including his overall performance on “U.S.-Israel relations.” But while 91% of respondents said they are “generally pro-Israel,” only 32% indicated that Israel is one of their most important voting issues. 

The online survey of 1,001 self-identified Jewish voters who indicate that they are likely to vote in the November election has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. 

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