We did the research. Here’s what Jewish voters think — about Trump, antisemitism, and the 2020 election.
There’s an expression: “Two Jews, three opinions.”
In 2020, it’s a lot more like “Two Jews, one opinion” when it comes to President Trump. American Jewish voters overwhelmingly reject Trump and see the Republican Party as a source of white nationalism and antisemitism.
In an era of misinformation, we know some politicians and special interest groups will claim to speak for the Jewish community.
By commissioning this research, we heard directly from Jewish voters what they care about in this election.
Jewish voters want to defeat Trump.
Three-quarters of Jewish voters hold unfavorable opinions of the President (75% unfavorable, including 66% very unfavorable).
And in an open-ended question about what matters most about next year’s elections, the most common response is defeating Donald Trump.
Jewish voters believe that Trump holds racist and antisemitic views.
A majority of Jewish voters believe Trump holds antisemitic views (58% agree) and racist views (76% agree, including both white Jews [76%]) and Jews of color [79%]).
The President is seen as generally representative of the Republican Party (57% does represent, including 65% of Jewish Republicans). This could pose a problem for down-ballot Republicans because Jewish voters believe Trump generally represents the GOP.
For Jewish voters, Trump and the Republican Party have a white nationalism problem, too.
Nearly two-thirds of Jewish voters believe white nationalism is a bigger problem in the Republican Party compared to less than 10% who think it’s a greater issue in the Democratic Party (65% Republican Party / 9% Democratic Party).
American Jews see antisemitism as a major problem — and it’s making them feel less safe.
Jewish voters feel less safe today than they did before Trump was elected. Nearly three-quarters of Jewish voters (73%) feel less safe in America today than they did four years ago. Nine in ten Jewish voters believe antisemitism has increased in the last four years, including 63% who say it has increased a lot.
Two-thirds (67%) view antisemitism as a “major problem” in America today.
