Democracy was top Jewish voter concern in midterms, not Israel or antisemitism - poll

A recent national survey by J Street has revealed that the future of democracy was the top issue for Jewish American voters in the 2026 midterm elections, rather than Israel or antisemitism. The poll, which surveyed 800 people from October 28 to November 3, found that 44% of respondents prioritized the future of democracy, while 21% cited antisemitism and 14% mentioned Israel as important issues. Cost of living was the second-ranked concern at 34%.

Demographically, 72% of Jewish voters supported Democratic congressional candidates, and disapproved of former President Donald Trump. Orthodox voters were found to lean more Republican and pro-Trump. Jim Gerstein, a founding partner at pollster GBAO Strategies, which conducted the survey, noted that the national Jewish community is clearly defined in its political beliefs and values.

The survey also revealed that 60% of respondents viewed Israel's war in Gaza as genocide. Among Republican efforts to connect with Jewish voters in states like Michigan, where Democratic senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has criticized Israel, there was little impact due to the Republican Party's unpopularity. Roughly 31% of respondents supported ending all military aid to Israel, with 60% of Jews under 35 agreeing with left-wing rhetoric describing its conduct in Gaza as genocide.

However, 39% believed that aid should continue with conditions, and 30% supported aid with no conditions.

J Street's survey also found that 65% of respondents supported its two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. J Street's founder and president, Jeremy Ben-Ami, stated that the survey results and the election or re-election of at least 180 J Street-backed House candidates demonstrate that the organization's positions are politically supported and reflect the majority opinion within the American Jewish community.