Full Breakdown
Jewish Adults Feel Politically Homeless as Antisemitism Rises, New AP-NORC Poll Shows
7/11/2026, 2:05:48 AM
Core Findings of the June 2024 Survey
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research surveyed 3,040 U.S. adults, including 1,022 Jewish adults, from June 11-17 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The margin of sampling error is ±2.8 percentage points for the overall sample and ±5.0 percentage points for the Jewish subsample. The poll captures attitudes three years after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing Gaza war.
Political Representation and Party Favorability
Only 15 % of Jewish adults say the Democratic Party supports them “extremely” or “very” well, while 33 % say the party is “somewhat” supportive. Conversely, 41 % rate Democratic support as “not very well” or “not at all.” Republican support fares similarly poorly: 16 % view the GOP as “extremely” or “very” supportive, 24 % as “somewhat” supportive, and 49 % as “not very well” or “not at all.”
Favorability toward individual leaders is mixed. 44 % of Jewish adults view New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani “somewhat” or “very” favorably, while 39 % view him unfavorably. Only about one-third hold a favorable opinion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and 29 % view former President Donald Trump favorably—slightly lower than the share who view Netanyahu favorably.
Safety Concerns and Antisemitism
A majority—63 %—believe prejudice against Jews is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the United States, compared with 38 % of the general adult population. Yet only one-third of Jewish adults feel “very” or “somewhat” safe; another one-third feel “very” or “somewhat” unsafe, and the remainder are neutral. About 30 % report at least one incident of physical assault, verbal abuse, property damage, or online harassment linked to their Jewish background in the past year.
Views on Israel, Palestine, and U.S. Policy
36 % say supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important to their Jewish identity, and an additional 26 % say it is “somewhat” important. Yet 40 % think the United States is “too supportive” of Israel, while 30 % believe the U.S. is “not supportive enough.” A similar share says the U.S. is insufficiently supportive of the Palestinians.
Regarding protests, roughly half of Jewish adults say anti-Israel demonstrations are not antisemitic, while about 40 % consider them antisemitic. Two-thirds say criticism of Israel’s military actions is not antisemitic, though those with a strong emotional connection to Israel are more likely to label such criticism as antisemitic.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Jewish respondents describe a climate of heightened vigilance. Former librarian Yahm Levin (Los Angeles) now introduces herself by her middle name to avoid uncomfortable questions. Hal Guberman (New Jersey) reports strangers yelling slurs at him while he wears a kippah. Caitlin Rosendorn (Illinois) says she now avoids displaying a Star of David for fear of being misread as supporting Israel’s actions.
Criticism of Party Positions
Many Jewish adults criticize both parties for perceived bias toward Palestinians or for insufficient condemnation of antisemitic rhetoric. Ellen Kuberski (Chicago) expressed “general disgust and hatred” for President Trump, while also condemning Democratic leaders for “much more supportive of the Palestinians than Israel or American Jews.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The poll shows a stark gap between Jewish adults (63 % see antisemitism as a serious problem) and the broader U.S. adult population (38 %). Likewise, Jewish adults are more likely than the general public to view the U.S. as “too supportive” of Israel (40 % vs. a lower unspecified share). The survey does not capture longitudinal trends in party affiliation shifts or the impact of upcoming elections.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I don’t really feel comfortable in leftist circles anymore,” — Yahm Levin, former librarian
- “It’s one of the most embarrassing documents I’ve read. It basically cedes everything to Iran,” — Max Sacher, graduate student, finance
- “I think Mamdani is absolutely phenomenal. He makes Democrats think,” — Kylle Epstein, Democratic activist
- “That person, they don’t know anything about me.” — Hal Guberman, New Jersey resident
- “I’ve always grown up with antisemitism,” — Erin Baskin, Pennsylvania resident
- “Now, it seems like there was an undercurrent, and it’s a free-for-all, and everyone is free to say what they want,” — Amanda Goldsmith, Chicago resident
Implications for Future Politics
The poll indicates that Jewish voters—who comprised 3 % of the 2024 electorate and voted overwhelmingly Democratic (66 % for Vice President Kamala Harris, 33 % for Trump)—feel politically adrift. Both parties may need to address safety concerns, clarify positions on Israel-Palestine, and rebuild trust among a demographic that perceives rising antisemitism and inadequate representation.
