Poll Reveals Favorability Ratings Among Jewish Americans for Mamdani and Netanyahu

A recent AP-NORC poll indicates that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani enjoys a more favorable view among Jewish Americans compared to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mamdani’s stance on Israel and the conflict in Gaza has garnered attention, leading to his current position in favorability ratings.

The survey reveals a distinct trend among American Jews towards nuanced views on political figures in the U.S. and Israel. Mamdani has consistently drawn attention for his views on Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict throughout his political career in New York.

In his past, Mamdani refrained from condemning the phrase “globalize the intifada,” stating that he does not want to police language. He emphasized his opposition to antisemitism and violence against Jewish people. This comment attracted criticism, as many interpret the phrase as inciting violence against Jews.

Later, Mamdani declared he would “discourage” such language, according to The New York Times. Recently, he strongly condemned antisemitic vandalism involving swastikas on synagogues and homes in New York City.

To reassure Jewish voters of their safety, Mamdani promised to invest in hate-crime prevention. He also pledged to protect Jewish communities while retracting some Israel-related executive orders from former Mayor Eric Adams.

A Newsweek inquiry for a comment from Mamdani’s office was made via email on Tuesday night.

Poll Findings

The poll indicated Netanyahu’s favorability among Jewish adults stood at 32 percent, with an unfavorable rating of 59 percent. In contrast, Mamdani achieved a 44 percent favorability with 39 percent unfavorable.

Analyzing net favorability, Mamdani leads with 5 percent, while Netanyahu records a -27 percent. The poll also notes that 38 percent feel the U.S. supports Israel excessively. Meanwhile, 24 percent believe the U.S. supports Palestinians too much.

Regarding Israel’s alleged genocide against Palestinians, 30 percent agree, 49 percent disagree, and 21 percent remain unsure. The survey finds 59 percent of Jewish adults identify as Democrats, compared to 27 percent as Republicans and 14 percent as independents.

This study, conducted from June 11 to 17 among 1,022 Jewish adults, has a 5 percent margin of error.

According to the Associated Press, since early 2024, Democratic attitudes have shifted markedly. About six in 10 Democrats feel the U.S. supports Israel too much, a rise from 45 percent in January 2024.

Moreover, 62 percent of Democrats think the U.S. is “not supportive enough” of Palestinians, compared to 49 percent two years ago.

Political Comparisons

Forty percent of Jewish adults approved of President Donald Trump’s handling of Israel, with 58 percent disapproving. The growing complexity of politics regarding Israel is evident among American Jews and Democrats.

In comparison, a Harvard/Harris poll from spring reported Mamdani with 24 percent favorability against 33 percent unfavorable, while Netanyahu registered 27 percent favorable and 34 percent unfavorable ratings. Mamdani’s net favorability was -9 percent and Netanyahu’s -7 percent. This poll involved 2,746 voters from April 23 to 26, with a margin of error of 1.87 percent.

Netanyahu’s Response

Netanyahu criticized Mamdani over statements around Israel’s status as a Jewish state. In a CNN interview, Netanyahu labeled Mamdani’s position that Israel should be a state with “equal rights” as “absurd” and defended Israel as an “imperfect democracy” similar to the United States.