Republican efforts targeting Harris's record on Israel, antisemitism failed, survey says

There was unprecedented spending by Republicans in order to appeal to the Jewish vote in the aftermath of Oct. 7, but it failed, J Street CEO Jeremy Ben Ami said.

By HANNAH SARISOHN NOVEMBER 7, 2024 22:40 Updated: NOVEMBER 7, 2024 23:16

A sign directs voters to the polling station at Galleria at Sunset mall on Election Day in Henderson, Nevada, U.S., November 5, 2024. (photo credit: DAVID SWANSON/REUTERS)

Efforts to paint Vice President Kamala Harris as weak on Israel fell flat among Jewish voters, according to the first in-depth election survey on Jewish voters released by J-Street on Thursday. 

GBAO conducted a national survey for J Street from Oct. 30-Nov. 5 of 800 Jews who voted before and on Election Day, and then conducted a Pennsylvania statewide survey from Nov. 4-5. of 500 Jews voters. 

GBAO differentiated its survey from exit polls, which GBAO said do not ask voters the range of critical Jewish demographic questions, such as denomination and synagogue membership, that are necessary to ensure a representative sample

"Kamala Harris won the Jewish vote 71 to 26% in the 2024 election, reflecting the traditional levels of support that Jewish voters have given Democratic candidates for President and Congress over the past decade," GBAO’s survey analysis said. 

Harris overwhelmingly won the Jewish vote with all groups except for Orthodox Jews. 

In Pennsylvania, the battleground state with the largest number of Jews, GBAO found 75% voted for Harris. 

According to GBAO, Biden won 77% of the Jewish vote in 2020 and Trump won 21%, reflecting the subtle movements of a particular election year. 

GBAO said Harris’s dominant performance among Jewish voters is "particularly notable" in the context of the tens of millions of dollars that Republicans spent seeking to define Harris as weak on Israel and antisemitism.

GBAO wrote in its analysis that the financial investment to influence Jews to move their political support to Republicans was unprecedented in the 2024 election as Trump’s allies saw an opportunity to play off Jewish concerns over antisemitism and the October 7 attack.

"But this investment and effort – alongside the never-ending media speculation over the Jewish vote – failed to impact Jewish voters," the analysis said. 

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Unprecedented spending by Republicans to appeal to Jewish vote

"There was unprecedented spending from the Republicans in this election to appeal to the Jewish vote in the aftermath of October 7, trying to go after Harris as weak on Israel or bad on antisemitism, and it just miserably failed," J Street CEO Jeremy Ben Ami echoed in a call with reporters on Thursday. 

In a call with reporters on Wednesday night, Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks continued to boast his organization's record-breaking $15 million campaign expenditure. 

"This is the largest campaign ever targeting the Jewish community in history," Brooks said. "We have spent $15 million, which is what we have budgeted to accomplish our goal of moving the Jewish vote. And we are extraordinarily pleased with the results and the success."

Brooks cited Associated Press/Fox News voter analysis which showed Harris winning the Jewish vote by 66%-32%. However, this survey does not distinguish religious denomination between survey participants.  

GBAO wrote in its analysis that Jewish voting behavior does not appear to shift, regardless of wars or major political events. 

GBAO’s survey found that while the past year has been very traumatic for American Jews -- who have increased their attachment to Israel in the aftermath of October 7 and express heightened concerns over antisemitism -- Jewish voters clearly expressed their support for Harris and their intense dislike for Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Despite traumatic year, few impacts on political beliefs and values

"All the data that we've collected in this election...shows that despite this traumatic year, it didn't impact political beliefs and values," Ben Ami said. "In fact, people are very concerned about Israel and antisemitism, but they voted on the future of democracy and abortion. That is very clear as their top voting priorities in this election."

The survey revealed that 72% of Americans want to see the president deliver a major speech detailing an American proposal that establishes a Palestinian state and opens diplomatic relations between Israel and all Arab states, 71% want to increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and 65% want the US to place sanctions on Israeli government ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich for aiding Jewish settlers who commit violent attacks against Palestinians. 

Other takeaways from the survey showed that American Jews' attitudes toward Prime Minister Netanyahu remain extraordinarily negative, with a -31 approval rating. 

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed think diplomacy is the most effective way to address American and Israeli concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, compared to 35 percent who think military action is the most effective way. 

On antisemitism, 94% of respondents believed that praising Oct. 7 was antisemitic, and 87% of respondents said opposing Israel's right to exist was antisemitic.