A new opinion poll shows that support for U.S. President Joe Biden among Arab Americans, a voting bloc with significant influence in swing states, has dropped from a comfortable majority in 2020 to just 17% amid increasing anger over the Democratic president's support for Israeli attacks on Gaza. The poll conducted by the Arab American Institute found that support for Biden among Arab Americans, which was at 59% in 2020, decreased to 35% even before the outbreak of violence in the Middle East but fell to half that after the war was launched.
This latest poll, released on Tuesday, marks the first time since its inception in 1997 that a majority of Arab Americans are no longer Democrats, with 32% identifying as Republicans and 31% as independents. Additionally, 40% of those surveyed indicated they would vote for former President Donald Trump, a potential Republican candidate in 2024, an increase of five percentage points from 2020.
Loss of Support
This poll serves as the latest evidence that Biden's campaign for a second presidential term is rapidly losing support among Muslim and Arab Americans due to his strong backing of Israel. Traditionally, these voters lean towards Democratic candidates and play a prominent role in swing states like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which could be pivotal in the 2024 presidential elections.
Key Findings
A quarter of Arab Americans expressed uncertainty about which candidate they will support in the upcoming elections. 13.7% stated they would support Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and 3.8% indicated they would back Cornel West. The poll also revealed that only 20% of Arab Americans view Biden's performance in office as "good," while 66% have a negative opinion of the president overall.
According to the survey, 68% of Arab Americans believe that the U.S. should not send weapons and military equipment to Israel and that Washington should use its influence to call for a ceasefire. Furthermore, 67% of respondents expressed concern over rising anti-Semitism, while 78% reported feelings of discrimination against Arabs, with 59% experiencing discrimination, a six percentage point increase compared to a previous survey conducted in April. The poll also indicated that 45% of Arab Americans are worried for their personal safety due to the recent violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
