In fact, poll of registered voters finds his support for Israel may give him a boost
Today, Democratic Majority for Israel released the findings of a comprehensive new poll that shows that President Biden’s support for Israel has not damaged his chances for reelection – and in fact could give him a modest boost with voters. Conducted by The Mellman Group, this survey offers valuable insights into the perspectives of registered voters in the United States.
“President Biden is right to stand up for Israel and this polling confirms that the voters are standing with him,” said Democratic Majority for Israel Board Co-Chair Todd Richman. “It is very easy to get lost in false narratives, but when you dig deep into what voters actually think, we see that President Biden’s support for Israel is not only not going to negatively impact him, but it could actually help.”
“The voters want clear, consistent leadership, and that is what President Biden is providing in this time of crisis for Israel,” added DMFI Board Co-Chair Ann Lewis. “A lot has been written about public opinion and how President Biden has handled the crisis — now the data are clear, voters are not going to penalize him for making the right call to stand with Israel.”
This analysis represents the findings of a survey of 1,637 registered voters in the United States. Interviews were conducted online December 7-12, 2023. The margin of error is +/-2.4% overall at a 95% level of confidence, and higher for subgroups.
Key Highlights from the Poll:
- Sixty-two percent (62%) of voters have a favorable view of Israel. Over two-thirds (67%) want the U.S. to support Israel in its war against Hamas. Just 25% have an unfavorable view of Israel while a mere 5% think the U.S. should be supporting Hamas in the war.
- We asked voters directly, “Regardless of how you feel about President Biden’s handling of this conflict, does Biden’s support for Israel make you more likely to vote for him, less likely to vote for him, or doesn’t it make much of a difference in who you will vote for?”
- By far the largest number, 68%, said it won’t matter to their vote choice. Seventeen percent (17%) said Biden’s support for Israel would make them more likely to vote for him, while a slightly lesser 15% said they are less likely to support Biden as a result of his support for Israel.
- Forty-four percent (44%) of American Jews are more likely to vote for the President because of his backing of Israel.
- We asked those who disapproved of the President’s performance in this arena whether it was because he was supporting Israel too much, or supporting the Palestinians too much, or whether their disapproval does “not have anything to do with which side he is supporting.”
- Just 13% of the electorate, and 6% of American Jews, disapprove of Biden’s handling of the conflict because he supports Israel too much. Sixteen percent (16%) of voters nationally disapprove because they believe Biden supports the Palestinians too much, while an equal number say which side the President supports is unrelated to their negative assessment of his performance on this issue.
For more detailed poll results and analysis, please click here.