Jewish Democrats tout Harris-Walz commitment to Israel, fighting antisemitism ahead of convention

A new ad campaign aims to temper criticism over internal party politics on Israel and antisemitism on the left

By Jacob Kornbluh, The Forward

Published August 15, 2024

A major Jewish Democratic group is stepping up efforts to engage Jewish voters in crucial swing states ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago next week.

In a 30-second digital ad, exclusively shared with the Forward and set to go online Thursday, the Jewish Democratic Council of America’s PAC highlights Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as united in their commitment to bolstering the U.S.-Israel relationship and combating antisemitism.

The group said that they will spend $250,000 on this ad campaign. It’s an extension of a previous video focused on Harris after President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race last month and endorsed her as his successor. The campaign will specifically target Jewish voters in seven battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Vice President Kamala Harris enters the stage with her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Harris holds a rally at Temple University in Philadelphia on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. CHRIS LACHALL/USA TODAY NETWORK ATLANTIC GROUP / USA TODAY NETWORK

Halie Soifer, JDCA’s chief executive, said the organization is capitalizing on the interest generated by the upcoming Democratic Convention to engage with millions of Jewish voters in key battleground states. “It conveys the joy, hope, and promise of this presidential ticket,” she said, “and we hope it solidifies what is already strong support among Jewish voters for Democrats.”

Israel, antisemitism at top of voters’ mind

The Democratic ticket has faced criticism from top Republicans and some Jewish groups who have questioned Harris and Walz’s commitment to Israel, citing their engagement with the pro-Palestinian “Uncommitted” movement.

Republicans have also suggested that internal Democratic politics on Israel and antisemitism influenced the decision to bypass Josh Shapiro, the Jewish pro-Israel governor from Pennsylvania, as the vice-presidential pick. The Harris campaign called those accusations “absurd.”

Walz is also facing backlash over his association with an imam who promoted a movie about Adolf Hitler and praised Hamas after Oct. 7. The campaign responded on Wednesday, saying that Walz has no “personal relationship” with the imam.

The JDCA video aims to dispel those concerns. It also mentions protecting democracy and ensuring abortion access as issues important to Jewish voters. “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz champion our Jewish American values,” the narrator concludes.

Getting out the vote

American Jews are estimated to make up 1% to 3% of the electorate in the six swing states that Biden won in 2020 by less than 3%. Polls from June, before the president dropped out of the race, showed Jewish voters nationally overwhelmingly favoring Biden over former President Donald Trump. A small slip of voters toward Trump could influence outcomes in the crucial battleground states, where margins are razor-thin.

Trump claimed without evidence last week that his support among American Jews is “way up,” enough to make up for a loss in support among Black voters. Trump has also doubled down in recent weeks with his contention that Jews who vote for the Democratic ticket are disloyal to Israel, a claim he has said often. Earlier this week, during an interview with Elon Musk, Trump said Jews who vote for Harris “ought to have your head examined.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition has allocated up to $15 million for Jewish voter outreach, compared to the more than $2 million the Jewish Democratic Council of America plans to spend in the lead-up to the November election.

Matt Brooks, RJC’s CEO, said the group has already redeployed and expanded paid staff on the ground to drive the message that Harris is more to the left of Biden on Israel issues. Brooks issued a tree-planting challenge to Democrats to positively affirm support for Israel from the stage at the convention. Soifer dismissed it, saying the RJC “isn’t relevant enough” to warrant a response.

JDCA plans to hold a series of events during the convention in Chicago, including a panel with pollsters and experts on voter mobilization.

Jacob Kornbluh is the Forward’s senior political reporter. Follow him on Twitter @jacobkornbluh or email [email protected].

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward’s free email newsletters delivered to your inbox.