Jewish voter's disdain for U.S. President Joe Biden appeared to get a boost this week, as a new poll shows an increase in those willing to vote for another candidate in the 2024 election.
Earlier this year, the American Jewish Committee conducted a poll among Jewish voters throughout the U.S. asking them a variety of questions relating to the current state of the nation and the 2024 presidential election.
The poll, conducted from March 12 to April 6, found 61 percent of Jewish voters in the U.S. saying they'd vote for Biden if the election was held today. In comparison, 23 percent of Jewish voters said they'd vote for former President Donald Trump, who is the presumptive Republican nominee for president. Additionally, the poll found 10 percent of respondents saying they'd vote for "someone else."
While Biden still holds a lead over Trump among Jewish voters, a 2020 poll from the American Jewish Committee found 75 percent of Jewish voters said they planned to vote for Biden in the 2020 presidential election. The 2020 poll found that 22 percent of Jewish voters sided with Trump in the election.
The number of Jewish voters in 2020 who said they'd vote for "someone else" was 2 percent, the poll found, signaling an 8 percent increase in those willing to choose another candidate over both Biden and Trump.
Overall, the two polls show Biden's support among Jewish voters declining by 14 percent over the past four years.
The poll's findings come amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants, where Biden has faced criticism from some in the Jewish community. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages. Israel subsequently launched a war against Hamas in Gaza that has killed over 34,000 people, The Associated Press reported, citing Gaza health officials. Since October 7, a war between Israel and Hamas has continued, with the U.S. supplying Israel with several military aid packages.
However, the Biden administration recently announced a pause on a shipment of weapons to Israel ahead of a military operation in the city of Rafah.
"If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following Biden's announcement, The Associated Press reported.
Biden also faced criticism from other Jewish individuals following the pause of weapons.
"Delaying arms transfers to Israel is dangerous...America must continue to stand firmly with our ally Israel as it works to defeat Hamas and defend its citizens," the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said last month, the Times of Israel reported.
Trump also criticized Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war in April saying, "Biden has totally lost control of the Israel situation."
"Any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat or votes for Biden should have their head examined," Trump said.
Newsweek reached out to Biden's campaign via email for comment.
