A recent national survey by J Street, a liberal Jewish Middle East policy group, has found that Jewish American voters listed the future of democracy as their top issue in the 2026 midterm elections. The poll, which surveyed 800 people from October 28 to November 3, revealed that 44% of respondents named democracy as a key issue. This was followed by the cost of living at 34%, and antisemitism at 21%. The survey also found that 14% of respondents cited Israel as a key issue, making it the fifth most popular response.
The survey, conducted by pollster GBAO Strategies, also found that Jewish voter breakdown by party was consistent with past elections. A significant 72% of respondents voted for Democratic congressional candidates, while 28% voted for Republican candidates. The survey also found that Orthodox voters trended more Republican and pro-Trump. Jim Gerstein, founding partner of GBAO Strategies, noted that the national Jewish community is a constituency that knows what it thinks in terms of political beliefs and values.
The survey also explored Jewish voters' attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A significant 31% of respondents backed ending all military aid to Israel, while 39% said that defence aid should continue, but with conditions. This is consistent with J Street's policy. The survey also found that 60% of Jews under 35 backed ending all military aid to Israel.
J Street's poll also found broad support for its two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, at 65%. Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street's founder and president, noted that the survey demonstrated that "the things that we stand for are, in fact, politically supported, and they reflect the majority of opinion right now in the American Jewish community".
The survey's findings were also reflected in the election or reelection of at least 180 J Street-backed House candidates. Ben-Ami noted that this demonstrated that J Street's policies have significant support among Jewish voters. The survey's results may also have implications for Republican efforts to reach Jewish voters, who are generally wary of the party.
The Republican Party's brand is toxic to most Jews, according to Jim Gerstein. He noted that GOP efforts to reach Jewish voters who were uncomfortable with Democratic Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and similar efforts in other states did not appear to have much effect. Gerstein said that as long as the Republican Party is perceived in a certain way, it will not be able to make traction with Jewish voters.
The survey's findings also come amid a changing political landscape. President Donald Trump's announcement on the morning of election day that he planned to end $3.8 billion in defence assistance to Israel before year-end was seen as a significant development. The survey's results suggest that Jewish voters are prioritizing domestic issues, such as democracy and the cost of living, over foreign policy issues like Israel.
Key points
- 44% of Jewish voters cited democracy as a key issue in the 2026 midterm elections
- 72% of respondents voted for Democratic congressional candidates
- 65% of respondents supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
