San Diego Jewish World: Editor’s E-Mail Box: October 17, 2018
Poll says large majority of American Jews will vote for Democratic candidates
A new poll released Wednesday, Oct. 17, by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that an overwhelming majority of Jewish voters plan to vote for Democrats in November. Jewish voters also see the Democratic Party as pro-Israel and prioritize a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues when considering which candidates to support in the midterms.
About 2018 Jewish Voters
- A majority of Jewish voters (68%) identify as Democrats.
- 74% of Jewish voters will vote for Democratic congressional candidates in their districts in the midterm elections.
- 76% of American Jewish voters have an unfavorable view of Trump.
- 70%+ of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism, the Iran nuclear deal, foreign policy, immigration, Supreme Court nominations, gun safety, the environment, and healthcare.
- Looking ahead to 2020 – 74% of Jewish voters said they will vote for a Democratic candidate, while just 26% will vote for Trump.
About 2018 Jewish Voters and Israel
- American Jews overwhelmingly (92%) consider themselves “pro-Israel” and over two-thirds (65%) of Jewish voters believe Democrats are pro-Israel.
- “Whether a candidate supports Israel” (52%) is just one of the many issues Jewish voters will consider when deciding which candidate to support in the midterms.
- Top policy priorities for Jewish voters include domestic issues such as “the kind of Supreme Court justices the candidate would support” (90%), protecting Medicare and Social Security (84%) and making quality affordable healthcare available to all Americans (83%).
- Jewish voters are evenly divided when it comes to Trump’s handling of Israel – 51% approve/49% disapprove.
- Jewish voters are strongly opposed to Trump’s handling of the Iran nuclear deal (70% disapprove), U.S. relations with the Palestinians (62% disapprove), and moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem (56% disapprove).
About Jewish Electorate vs. Overall U.S. Electorate
- American Jewish voters have a 76% unfavorable view of Trump; in comparison, 55% of Americans as a whole, have an unfavorable view of Trump.
- More than two-thirds (68%) of Jewish voters identify as Democrats; in comparison less than half (47%) of Americans as a whole identify as Democrats.
This analysis represents the findings of a national survey of 800 voters designed to reflect the likely 2018 Jewish electorate. Interviews were conducted online through a randomly selected panel October 2-11, 2018. The sample was 53% male and 47% female, and 93% of participants indicated they are “almost certain” to vote . The margin of error is +/- 3.5% at the 95% level of confidence (higher for subgroups). This poll was conducted by The Mellman Group. — From Jewish Electorate Institute
