It takes quite a bit to get Jews to shun Democratic candidates, however Joe Biden would possibly’ve managed it.
And never solely as a result of Jews, like everybody else, fear about Biden’s health for workplace for an additional 4 years.
The geese had been already lined up for a shift lengthy earlier than his disastrous debate debacle.
Again in February, a Siena ballot discovered Biden trailing Donald Trump amongst New York Jews, 53% to 44%.
Sure, New York Jews supported Trump over Biden — a surprising turnaround for this reliably Dem demographic.
Biden was behind once more in Might, too: 48% to 44%.
Siena’s June ballot put the prez again on prime, 52% to 46%, however that’s one of the best he’s finished over the previous half 12 months.
And bear in mind: For the previous century, Jews have typically given Democrats working for president 70% of their votes or extra.
Lyndon Johnson and Franklin Roosevelt acquired 90%.
Certainly, not since Jimmy Carter have Jewish voters lent lower than 57% assist to the Dem wannabe.
In 2020, Biden himself received over 68% of Jewish voters — so even a drop to 50% or 55% in November could be telling.
And doubtlessly consequential: Regardless of Jews’ small numbers general, Commentary’s John Podhoretz estimates their votes may throw swing-state Pennsylvania to Trump.
True, Siena’s small pattern measurement means a big margin of error, and the ballot solely checked out New York’s Jews; different polls counsel Biden could do higher nationally.
However Siena’s outcomes can’t be dismissed: New York is dwelling to greater than 1 / 4 of America’s Jewish inhabitants, and the fall-off right here is nothing in need of beautiful. It may well’t all be sampling error.
Already Jews have come out to get rid of one antisemitic Democrat, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY), and are focusing on one other, Rep. Cori Bush (Mo.), who trails the challenger in her upcoming Democratic main by 23 share factors.
What’s sparking the change?
Oct. 7 — and its aftermath.
That was the worst day for Jews for the reason that Holocaust.
However what occurred since then has opened their eyes to the left’s alarming antisemitism and hatred of Israel, which has been rising — and more and more tolerated — amongst Dems.
On the 2012 Democratic conference, delegates booed at having their platform embrace language recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Then got here the rise of the left’s DEI, anti-racism and settler colonialism ideologies, which paint Jews as oppressors and colonizers.
Right this moment, simply 35% of Democrats sympathize extra with Israelis than Palestinians, Gallup reported in March.
That compares to a whopping 80% of Republicans who aspect with Israelis.
For the primary time of their lives, many Jews really feel nervous about America as a refuge.
A brand new survey by New York Solidarity Community discovered 40% of Empire State Jews imagine the USA is not a protected haven for them.
They’ve been alarmed by the limitless anti-Israel protests that characteristic barbs and even violence aimed toward Jews — and by Biden saying protesters “have a degree.”
They see faculty directors not simply refusing to sentence antisemitism however at instances even partaking in it.
They usually see elite colleges — together with Dems like Biden — pushing the DEI agenda that turns college students into antisemites.
Jews have additionally watched as Democratic prosecutors, like Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, refuse to carry prices in opposition to protesters who intimidate and bodily assault them.
They see Democratic members of The Squad absurdly accusing Israel of genocide and demanding Biden cease it from pursuing the perpetrators of Oct. 7.
They usually see their president doing little to counter all of it, understanding he’d elevate holy hell if, say, blacks or the trans group had been focused.
On prime of all that, Jews fret over Biden’s hostility towards Israel.
Sure, his rhetoric instantly after Oct. 7 — when he vowed to face with the Jewish state and provides it every little thing it wanted — couldn’t have been extra encouraging.
But he quickly started blasting Israel for what he (falsely) referred to as “indiscriminate bombing” and “over-the-top” navy motion in Gaza.
He calls for a cease-fire there and has withheld weapons for Israel.
He seeks to reward Hamas’ atrocities with the creation of a Palestinian state that can be utilized as staging floor for extra terror assaults.
Biden additionally reportedly blocked Israel from taking out Hezbollah on the struggle’s begin, and instructed it not to reply to Iran’s huge missile-and-drone assault.
He could actually see these actions as the appropriate course, or he would possibly simply be looking for to pander to his anti-Israel base.
Nevertheless it’s solely extra motive for Jews to bitter on him and his occasion.
If Biden stays the Democratic nominee in November, we’ll discover out simply how steep a value Jews will make him pay for all that.
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