Democrats are divided on President Joe Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and subsequent protests on U.S. campuses, according to a new poll.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted from May 7-14, found that 44% of registered Democrats disapprove of Biden’s handling of the conflict. Those who expressed disapproval were less likely to vote for Biden this year in the upcoming presidential election.
Biden’s approval rate on his approach to the Israel-Hamas war stood at 34%, including 53% of Democrats, 31% of independents, and 22% of Republicans approving. The poll surveyed nearly 4,000 U.S. adults nationwide, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points.
The war in Gaza began after a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 killed 1,200 people. Israeli agitators on college campuses have called for a ceasefire in the region as Hamas continues to hold innocent Israelis hostage. Palestinian protesters, some of whom were arrested for blocking students from attending class, have expressed outrage over the number of Palestinian citizens killed in Israel’s military offense, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Biden has emphasized the importance of providing aid to Israel but threatened to delay the delivery of some weapons over concerns its military could invade Rafah in southern Gaza. Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) described Biden’s threat as a quid pro quo and vowed to file an impeachment against Biden in response.
“The reality is that when you’re trying to withhold humanitarian or any type of congressional[ly] appropriated aid for the purpose of political gain — which he does look at political gain because he wants to win Michigan, he wants to pander to the radical left,” Mills said. “And now with the quid pro quo, it should be quid pro Joe.”
The Ipsos/Reuters poll found Biden is tied with former President Donald Trump at 46% each in a head-to-head matchup. They remain tied at 40% when the survey question included a third option of voting for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who pulled 13% support. A fifth of respondents said they were undecided.
Sam Markstein, the political director for the Republican Jewish Coalition, told Reuters that Jews have slowly migrated toward the GOP for years, which has increased since the war in Gaza.
“This isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s a trend, long in the making,” he said.
Polls in recent weeks show that Trump has a strong lead in battleground states that are likely to determine the election, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.