By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A recent poll reveals a significant drop in President Joe Biden’s support among Arab Americans, who play a crucial role as voters in battleground states. The survey shows that Biden’s approval rating has plummeted from a comfortable majority of 59% in 2020 to a mere 17%. The decline can be attributed to growing anger over his backing of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Even before the outbreak of violence in the Middle East, Arab American support for Biden had already declined to 35%, as indicated by a poll commissioned by the Arab American Institute. However, the latest figures show a further decrease, making it the first time since the institute’s establishment in 1997 that a majority of Arab Americans no longer identify as Democrats. Currently, 32% identify as Republicans, while 31% consider themselves independents. Additionally, 40% of respondents stated they would vote for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, a 5 percentage point increase from 2020.
THE TAKE
This poll serves as compelling evidence of Biden’s eroding support among Muslim and Arab Americans due to his unwavering endorsement of Israel. Historically, these voters have leaned towards endorsing Democratic candidates and hold sway in crucial states like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which could be decisive in the 2024 presidential election.
KEY FINDINGS
Approximately a quarter of Arab Americans surveyed expressed uncertainty about whom they would support in 2024. 13.7% indicated support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while 3.8% backed Cornel West.
According to the poll, only 20% of Arab Americans rated Biden’s job performance as “good,” with a significant 66% holding an overall negative view of the president.
Concerning foreign policy, 68% of Arab Americans believed that the United States should refrain from providing weapons and military equipment to Israel. Furthermore, a majority of respondents advocated for the U.S. to use its influence with Israel to urge a ceasefire.
The poll revealed that a considerable percentage of Arab Americans (67%) are concerned about the rise of antisemitism, while an even larger majority (78%) expressed worries about anti-Arab bigotry. Additionally, 59% reported personal experiences of discrimination, marking a 6% increase since the previous poll conducted in April.
Regarding personal safety, 45% of Arab Americans expressed concerns due to the recent violence in Israel and Palestine.
CONTEXT
Many Arab and Muslim Americans feel betrayed by Biden’s financial, political, and military support for Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip. The sentiment stems from the October 7 attack by Hamas militants, which Israeli officials claim resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people and the taking of 239 hostages.
Medical authorities in Gaza reported on Tuesday that Israel’s three-week-long air and ground onslaught had claimed the lives of 8,525 people, including 3,542 children.
The survey, conducted by John Zogby Strategies, involved 500 Arab Americans, some of whom responded online only. The poll holds a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Heather Timmons and Nick Zieminski)
