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I HAVE A DEEP FAITH IN AMERICA. I CAN’T SAY I HAVE A DEEP FAITH IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

– David Wolkinson, Florida

Introducing our Jewish voters

During the 2020 campaign, JPVP focused on Jewish voters in the battleground states that indeed did decide the election, including Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Michigan and Nevada. But the battlegrounds of 2020 are not necessarily the same in 2024. (Georgia, for instance, wasn’t universally viewed as in play in 2020 until Biden’s surprise victory.) So during this election cycle, JPVP will focus less on geography and more on Jewish diversity and identity. Our 20 participants include Jews who consider themselves Hasidic, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Humanist. They are liberal Democrats, long-time Republicans, Independents and everything in between, and many are in search of a political home. In fact, the candidates our JPVP participants plan to vote for at this time do not necessarily align with their party identification. There’s a long-time Republican voting for Biden and a Democrat voting for Trump. Some JPVP participants worry about Biden’s age. Others wonder if Trump’s multiple felony counts will affect the integrity of the election. Issues such as abortion rights and the economy come up repeatedly.

Antisemitism and Jewish voters

As you would expect, antisemitism is of major concern to all participants, although that concern manifests itself in different ways. Some participants told us they have been the subject of slurs and physical attacks while wearing religiously identifying clothing. Others spoke of the growing creep of Christian nationalism into local politics.

The Israel-Gaza war is a complicating factor for Jewish voters.

For some it affirms their feeling that Biden is a stalwart supporter of Israel. Others feel disillusioned because he isn’t doing more to help Gazans. Still others believe that the war might not have happened under Trump’s watch.

So, will the Jewish vote matter in this election?

While the Jewish population of the United States is only in the 2-percent range, surveys show 85 percent vote in comparison to the national average of 62 percent. In states with a significant number of Jews, Florida for instance, the Jewish vote can be enough to tip the scales if the election is close.

It’s also worth noting that in 2024, the issues that concern Jews—the geopolitics surrounding Israel and antisemitism on the right and the left—are now of greater interest to growing numbers of non-Jewish American voters.

Look for more participant stories, analyses, online town halls and updates on this page as the campaign clock ticks down to Election Day.

IT’S BEEN EYE-OPENING HOW JEWISH PEOPLE ARE VIEWED BY A LOT OF PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS.

– Diana Leygerman, Pennsylvania