Democratic Base Is Divided On Israel-Hamas War, Hurting Biden

When it comes to the Israel-Hamas war, President Joe Biden is facing a challenge within the Democratic base.

The issue not only lies in the fact that his approval rating on the conflict is lower among Democrats compared to his overall approval rating, but also in the division within his base based on age.

There is a significant disparity within the Democratic Party regarding their perception of Israel in relation to the ongoing war and the broader geopolitical situation, with younger Democrats tending to harbor more doubt compared to their older counterparts.

Based on a recent survey by Quinnipiac University, Biden’s approval rating among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters for his management of the Israel-Hamas War stands at a mere 56%. In contrast, his overall job performance has received a higher approval rating of 76% among Democratic voters. It is worth noting that a notable portion of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters (36%) express disapproval of Biden’s handling of the war, and most of these dissenting individuals are younger.

The majority (69%) of Democrats and Democratic-leaning individuals under the age of 35 expressed disapproval regarding Biden’s handling of the war, while only 24% approve.

Conversely, the situation is the opposite for older Democrats, where a majority (77%) of individuals aged 65 and above approve of Biden’s approach, with a mere 16% expressing disapproval.

The reason for the division becomes evident when one delves deeper into the information. In general, Biden has shown more sympathy toward Israel than the Palestinians throughout the war, a stance that does not resonate well with younger Democrats.

When asked to choose between Israelis and Palestinians, a large majority of Democrats under the age of 35 are inclined to sympathize with Palestinians (74%) rather than Israelis (16%). On the other hand, Democrats aged 65 and older are moderately more inclined to support Israelis (45%) over Palestinians (25%).