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American Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes of American Jews

(April 2012)

American Jewish Committee, "2012 AJC Survey of American Jewish Opinion," AJC, April 30, 2012.

Click to Jump:
Political Party Identification
Voting Priorities
Iran
Peace Process
Background

Connection to Israel
Knowledge Network Profile Questions

Political Party Identification

Where would you place yourself on this scale?

Liberal
24%
Lean Liberal
22%
Moderate, Middle of the Road
35%
Lean Conservative
10%
Conservative
9%
No Response
0%

In politics TODAY, do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?

Republican
19%
Independent
26%
Democrat
52%
Other
2%
No Response
0%

[IF INDEPENDENT/OTHER] As of TODAY, do you think of yourself as closer to the...

Republican Party
34%
Democratic Party
64%
No Response
1%

This is a list of the front running candidates for the Republican presidential nomination. Please indicate your opinion of each candidate. If you haven't heard enough to decide, please select that response.

Mitt Romney

Very Favorable
11%
Somewhat Favorable
25%
Very Unfavorable
29%
Somewhat Unfavorable
28%
Haven't Heard Enough to Decide
6%
No Response
1%

Rick Santorum

Very Favorable
3%
Somewhat Favorable
15%
Very Unfavorable
55%
Somewhat Unfavorable
19%
Haven't Heard Enough to Decide
8%
No Response
1%

Newt Gingrich

Very Favorable
3%
Somewhat Favorable
14%
Very Unfavorable
53%
Somewhat Unfavorable
23%
Haven't Heard Enough to Decide
6%
No Response
1%

Ron Paul

Very Favorable
5%
Somewhat Favorable
17%
Very Unfavorable
39%
Somewhat Unfavorable
27%
Haven't Heard Enough to Decide
12%
No Response
1%

If the presidential election was being held today, and the candidates were [ORDER ROTATED] Mitt Romney, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrat, for whom would you most likely vote?

Mitt Romney, Republican
28%
Barack Obama, Democrat
61%
Undecided
11%
No Response
*%

[IF UNDECIDED ON PREVIOUS QUESTION] At this point, are you leaning toward Mitt Romney, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrate [ORDER ROTATED]?

Mitt Romney, Republican
5%
Barack Obama, Democrat
6%
No Response
1%

If the presidential election was being held today, and the candidates were [ORDER ROTATED] Rick Santorum, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrat, for whom would you most likely vote?

Rick Santorum, Republican
21%
Barack Obama, Democrat
68%
Hard Undecided
11%
No Response
*%

[IF UNDECIDED IN PREVIOUS QUESTION] At this point, are you leaning toward Rick Santorum, Republican or Barack Obama, Democrat [ORDER ROTATED]?

Rick Santorum, Republican
6%
Barack Obama, Democrat
5%
No Response
*%

If the presidential election was being held today, and the candidates were [ORDER ROTATED] Newt Gingrich, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrat, for whom would you most likely vote?

Newt Gingrich, Republican
21%
Barack Obama, Democrat
68%
Hard Undecided
12%
No Response
*%

[IF UNDECIDED IN PREVIOUS QUESTION] At this point, are you leaning toward Newt Gingrich, Republican or Barack Obama, Democrat [ORDER ROTATED]?

Newt Gingrich, Republican
6%
Barack Obama, Democrat
5%
No Response
1%

If the presidential election was being held today, and the candidates were [ORDER ROTATED] Ron Paul, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrat, for whom would you most likely vote?

Ron Paul, Republican
19%
Barack Obama, Democrat
66%
Undecided
15%
No Response
1%

[IF UNDECIDED IN PREVIOUS QUESTION] At this point, are you leaning toward Ron Paul, Republican, or Barack Obama, Democrat [ORDER ROTATED]?

Ron Paul, Republican
8%
Barack Obama, Democrat
7%
No Response
1%

 

Voting Priorities

Among the following list of choices, what are the 3 most important issues to you in decided how you will vote in the 2012 presidential election?

 
1st
2nd
3rd
All
National Security
9%
9%
8%
26%
Economy
29%
26%
28%
80%
Health Care
20%
19%
20%
57%
US-Israel Relations
6%
9%
8%
22%
Immigration
4%
3%
1%
8%
Energy Security
4%
5%
4%
14%
Taxes
8%
10%
10%
26%
Social Security
8%
7%
8%
22%
Iran's Nuclear Program
4%
5%
6%
15%
Church-State Issues
4%
2%
2%
8%
Abortion
3%
4%
4%
11%
No Response
1%
--
--
1%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Obama is handling each of these issues:

National Security

Approve Strongly
23%
Approve Somewhat
46%
Disapprove Somewhat
18%
Disapprove Strongly
11%
No Response
1%

Economy

Approve Strongly
16%
Approve Somewhat
41%
Disapprove Somewhat
20%
Disapprove Strongly
21%
No Response
2%

Health Care

Approve Strongly
23%
Approve Somewhat
39%
Disapprove Somewhat
14%
Disapprove Strongly
22%
No Response
1%

US-Israel Relations

Approve Strongly
15%
Approve Somewhat
43%
Disapprove Somewhat
22%
Disapprove Strongly
18%
No Response
1%

Immigration

Approve Strongly
12%
Approve Somewhat
44%
Disapprove Somewhat
26%
Disapprove Strongly
16%
No Response
2%

Energy Security

Approve Strongly
13%
Approve Somewhat
48%
Disapprove Somewhat
22%
Disapprove Strongly
16%
No Response
2%

Taxes

Approve Strongly
15%
Approve Somewhat
42%
Disapprove Somewhat
24%
Disapprove Strongly
17%
No Response
2%

Social Security

Approve Strongly
18%
Approve Somewhat
43%
Disapprove Somewhat
25%
Disapprove Strongly
13%
No Response
1%

Iran's Nuclear Program

Approve Strongly
17%
Approve Somewhat
44%
Disapprove Somewhat
21%
Disapprove Strongly
16%
No Response
1%

Church-State Issues

Approve Strongly
24%
Approve Somewhat
44%
Disapprove Somewhat
18%
Disapprove Strongly
12%
No Response
2%

Abortion

Approve Strongly
34%
Approve Somewhat
39%
Disapprove Somewhat
15%
Disapprove Strongly
10%
No Response
1%

Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think the Republiccratic Party is more likely to make the right decisions in dealing with the following issues:

National Security

Republican Party
36%
Democratic Party
60%
No Response
3%

Economy

Republican Party
36%
Democratic Party
62%
No Response
2%

Health Care

Republican Party
32%
Democratic Party
66%
No Response
2%

US-Israel Relations

Republican Party
40%
Democratic Party
57%
No Response
3%

Immigration

Republican Party
32%
Democratic Party
64%
No Response
4%

Energy Security

Republican Party
30%
Democratic Party
66%
No Response
4%

Taxes

Republican Party
35%
Democratic Party
63%
No Response
2%

Social Security

Republican Party
32%
Democratic Party
65%
No Response
2%

Iran's Nuclear Program

Republican Party
37%
Democratic Party
60%
No Response
3%

Church-State Issues

Republican Party
22%
Democratic Party
74%
No Response
3%

Abortion

Republican Party
16%
Democratic Party
81%
No Response
2%

Iran

How concerned are you about the prospect of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons?

Very Concerned
56%
Somewhat Concerned
33%
Not Too Concerned
9%
Not Concerned At All
2%
No Response
0%

How likely do you think it is that a combination of diplomacy and sanctions can stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons?

Very Likely
5%
Somewhat Likely
37%
Somewhat Unlikley
35%
Very Unlikely
21%
No Response
2%

If diplomacy and sanctions fail, would you support or oppose the United States taking military action against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons?

Support Strongly
28%
Somewhat Support
36%
Oppose Somewhat
24%
Oppose Strongly
10%
No Response
2%

If diplomacy and sanctions fail, would you support or oppose Israel taking military action against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons?

Support Strongly
39%
Somewhat Support
36%
Oppose Somewhat
14%
Oppose Strongly
11%
No Response
1%

 

Peace Process

Compared to one year ago, do you think prospects for Arab-Israeli peace have increased, decreased, or stayed the same?

Increased
7%
Decreased
37%
Stayed the Same
55%
No Response
2%

 

Background

Do you think of yourself as...

Orthodox
8%
Conservative
26%
Reconstructionist
1%
Reform
34%
Just Jewish
26%
No Response
5%

How important is being Jewish in your own life?

Very Important
38%
Somewhat Important
29%
Not Too Important
18%
Not At All Important
14%
No Response
1%

Aside from special occasions such as weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, how often to you attend services at a Jewish temple or synagogue?

More Than Once a Week
6%
Once a Week
8%
Once or Twice a Month
12%
A Few Times a Year
27%
Once a Year or Less
16%
Never
31%
No Response
1%

 

Connection to Israel

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Caring about Israel is a very important part of my being a Jew.

Agree Strongly
37%
Agree Somewhat
34%
Disagree Somewhat
15%
Disagree Strongly
13%
No Response
1%

Have you ever been to Israel?

No
59%
Yes, Once
19%
Yes, Twice
9%
Yes, Three or More Times
12%
No Response
1%

[IF NO] Why not?

I've never had the opportunity to go
48%
It's too expensive
32%
I'm afraid
13%
I'm not interested
31%
Other
11%

What is your opinion of the way the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is handling the US-Israel relationship?

Very Favorable
22%
Somewhat Favorable
48%
Very Unfavorable
10%
Somewhat Unfavorable
18%
No Response
2%

 

Knowledge Network Profile Questions

Gender

Male
51%
Female
49%

Age

18-29
15%
30-44
24%
45-59
26%
60+
36%

Education

Less Than High School
1%
High School Graduate
9%
Some College
24%
College Graduate
66%

Household Income

$0 - <$50K
20%
$50K - <$85K
28%
$85K - <$125K
29%
$125K+
22%

Marital Status

Married
54%
Previously Married
17%
Never Married
21%
Living with Partner
8%

Region

Northeast
36%
Midwest
13%
South
26%
West
24%