Donald Trump holds a slight lead over Kamala Harris among Arab Americans as the U.S. presidential race enters its final phase, according to a new poll. The poll suggests that the ongoing war in Gaza is eroding support for Democrats among a key voting demographic in battleground states.
The Arab News/YouGov poll, released on Monday, shows Trump leading Harris 45 percent to 43 percent among Arab Americans, with just two weeks remaining before Election Day.
The poll also indicates that Trump is viewed more favorably when it comes to resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict, with 39 percent of respondents believing he would handle it better than Harris, who garnered 33 percent on the issue.
On broader questions concerning the Middle East, Trump and Harris are tied at 38 percent on who would be better for the region “in general.”
When asked about their top concerns, 29 percent of Arab-American respondents identified the Israel-Palestine conflict as their biggest issue, followed by 21 percent who chose the economy and cost of living, and 13 percent who cited racism and discrimination.
Despite Trump’s narrow lead, the poll also shows that he is perceived as more supportive of Israel’s current government than Harris by a six-point margin.
The results, based on a sample of 500 Arab Americans, have a margin of error of plus or minus 5.93 percent.
This poll highlights a warning for Democrats: President Joe Biden’s strong support for Israel’s war in Gaza may be jeopardizing Harris’s chances in the upcoming election. In an earlier poll by the Arab American Institute, Trump and Harris were nearly tied, with 42 percent supporting Trump and 41 percent backing Harris. Harris’s support among Arab Americans in that poll was 18 points lower than Biden’s in 2020.
