Poll Shows Democrats Leading Among Arab American Voters

By Staff, Agencies

Anger over Washington’s Middle East policies and growing financial pressures are eroding Republican support among Arab Americans, giving Democrats a substantial advantage ahead of November’s congressional elections, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll.

The survey found that 58% of registered Arab American voters intend to support Democratic congressional candidates, compared with 34% backing Republicans. Among respondents who voted for Donald Trump in 2024, 26% now plan to vote for Democratic candidates.

The findings represent a shift from the 2024 presidential election, when Arab American voters were closely divided. In the poll, 41% said they had voted for Kamala Harris, while 39% recalled voting for Trump.

Disapproval of Trump’s Middle East policies was particularly pronounced. Despite his campaign promise that Arab Americans would see peace in the region under his presidency, 80% of respondents disapproved of his handling of the war on Gaza, while 75% disapproved of his approach to Iran.

Nearly eight in 10 respondents favored reducing US military assistance to “Israel,” including six in 10 who supported ending it altogether.

Dissatisfaction also extended to Trump’s previous supporters, 54% of whom disapproved of his handling of the war on Gaza and 48% of whom disapproved of the war on Iran.

Economic concerns are also weighing on Republican support. Seven in 10 Arab American voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, including nearly four in 10 of those who had previously supported him.

Brandy Benevides, a 27-year-old Michigan store manager and mother of three, told The Washington Post that Trump’s economic promises had persuaded her to vote for him in 2024. She now regrets that decision and intends to support Democrats, citing mounting financial hardship.

“A couple of years ago, I was able to afford things. But now I’m going paycheck to paycheck,” Benevides said, describing her reliance on food pantries to help feed her family.

Economic pressures are also influencing voters who remain critical of Democrats over their previous policies. Joshua Kassab, a 30-year-old Georgia resident whose grandfather immigrated from Iraq, said the Biden administration’s support for “Israeli” attacks on Gaza led him to stop identifying as a Democrat in 2024.

Nevertheless, he plans to vote for Democratic candidates in November, citing healthcare costs as a major concern.

“I’m a Type 1 diabetic,” Kassab said. “There’s several hundred dollars a month that I need to pay in pharmaceutical bills to not die.”