AP-NORC Poll Finds Zohran Mamdani More Favorable Than Benjamin Netanyahu Among Jewish Americans

A national Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani holds a net positive favorability rating among Jewish Americans, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a net negative rating.

The survey reported that 44 percent of Jewish respondents view Mamdani favorably and 39 percent view him unfavorably, producing a net favorability rating of +5 percentage points.

Al-Quds Al-Arabi

By comparison, Netanyahu received a 32 percent favorable rating and a 59 percent unfavorable rating among Jewish respondents, resulting in a net favorability of -27 percentage points.

The poll also placed the results in a broader context of shifting political attitudes toward Israel within the American Jewish community, including views on U.S. policy toward Israel and whether Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians.

The AP-NORC survey found that 38 percent of respondents believe the United States is too supportive of Israel, compared with 24 percent who believe Washington is too supportive of Palestinians.

Among Jewish respondents, opinions on whether Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians were divided, with 30 percent answering yes and 49 percent saying no.

ArabAmericanNews

Audacy’s account of the same AP-NORC polling said 63% of Jewish Americans believe prejudice against Jewish people is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem in the U.S., while only 15% said the Democratic Party supports Jewish people “extremely” or “very” well.

That Audacy report also said about half of Jewish adults believe Trump and Republicans do not support Jewish people in the U.S. well, and it quoted a Jewish Republican, Max Sacher, saying, “I feel very lost politically. I used to have a home. Now I feel like I’m on an island in modern-day politics.”

The poll results also fed debate about how American Jewish voters view Israel-related leadership, with the ArabAmericanNews report noting Mamdani’s prior comments on the phrase “globalize the intifada” and his later condemnation of anti-Semitic vandalism after swastikas were painted on synagogues and residential properties in New York City.

“NEW YORK — A new national survey suggests that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is viewed more favorably by American Jews than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underscoring the growing complexity of political attitudes toward Israel within the American Jewish community”

ArabAmericanNews

In the same coverage, Mamdani’s favorability stood out against Netanyahu’s, with the poll showing Mamdani at 44% favorable among Jewish respondents and Netanyahu at 32% favorable.

The Audacy report framed the moment as one where many Jewish adults feel isolated, saying 36% say supporting Israel is “extremely” or “very” important to their Jewish identity and another 26% say it is “somewhat” important.

It added that Jewish voters made up 3% of the 2024 electorate, with 66% casting ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris and 33% for Trump, while the poll’s findings underscored a sense that neither party is seen as adequately supporting Jewish people.