American Jews must rethink their relationship with the Democratic Party
By
Samuel J. Abrams
October 30, 2024 8:00 am
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A poll from the Manhattan Institute released earlier this month revealed that American Jewish support for Vice President Kamala Harris got the lowest level of support a Democratic presidential nominee has received since the 1980s. If the election were held today, the poll shows 67% of American Jewish voters would vote for Harris, and 31% would cast a ballot for former President Donald Trump.
These numbers are part of a larger trend. Jewish support for Democrats has declined since 1992, when 80% of Jewish voters supported former President Bill Clinton.
Jewish affiliation with the Democratic Party has lasted for more than a century, anchored by a deep admiration for former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies of social integration and equality of opportunity. But those ideas have largely vanished among Democrats.
Even before the Oct. 7 tragedy in Israel, Democrats had already begun moving away from the Jewish community — and the Jewish community noticed. Many American Jews were already disenchanted by ideas such as affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion, which actively promote a mindset of division and opportunity based on immutable characteristics and not hard work, grit, and perseverance. These ideas are fundamental to leftist candidates such as Kamala Harris and run counter to those of Roosevelt, who helped promote both opportunity and a level playing field.
Add into the mix the post-Oct. 7 response from the Left, and it is no surprise that large numbers of American Jews simply cannot accept the Democrats’ agenda as the nation heads into the November election.
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