Arab American support for Biden drops dramatically in new poll

Amid the war between Israel and Hamas that has upended international and American politics, President Joe Biden is facing more worrying news for his 2024 reelection campaign.

A new poll surveying Arab American voters showed the president has lost significant support since 2020.

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A nationwide poll of Arab American voters from the Arab American Institute and John Zogby Strategies found that support for Biden dropped dramatically from 59% to 17%, a decrease of 42 percentage points from 2020. In contrast, 40% of voters said they support former President Donald Trump, a 5-point increase from 2020.

Even more worrying for the president’s reelection campaign is that Biden’s approval rating dropped from 74% in 2020 to 29% in 2023 and that two-thirds of Arab Americans have a negative view of Biden’s handling of the war between Hamas and Israel. The poll is the first time in 26 years of polling Arab American voters that a majority of the group didn’t prefer the Democratic Party.

Arab American voters make up a sizable voting bloc in crucial battleground states, including Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, where Biden must win in order to secure a second term.

The poll reflects a tightrope as Biden navigates between affirming Israel’s right to self-defense in the wake of the Oct. 7 surprise attack from Hamas while calling for the protection of civilians living in the Gaza Strip. Progressive members of Biden’s party have called for a ceasefire between the two groups as Biden has requested $14.3 billion in aid to Israel.

When pressed about Biden’s support among Arab and Muslim Americans during a White House press briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed to rising discrimination the groups faced.

“What I can say is this: The president knows that Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of — certainly of hate-fueled attacks,” Jean-Pierre said. “And so he also understands that many of our Muslim and Arab American and Palestinian American loved ones and neighbors are worried about the hate being directed at their communities.”

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The poll found that 59% of Arab Americans experienced discrimination, an increase of 6 points since April, and 78% of Arab Americans are concerned about an increase in anti-Arab bigotry.

Christian Datoc contributed to this story.