After President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November’s presidential election, making historic gains across the identity politics spectrum that were presumed to be safe bets for left-wing intersectional ideologues, Democrats were left in the dust, scratching their heads and asking themselves, “What on earth happened?”
One voting bloc that swung heavily toward Trump and the Republican Party compared to previous elections was the so-called Jewish vote. Motivated by the explosion of antisemitism in the United States, such as on-campus support for Hamas, institutional defense of genocidal rhetoric directed at Jewish Americans, and the open celebration of ahistorical pro-terror propaganda throughout the radical wing of the Democratic Party, Jewish Americans, especially those in religious communities, abandoned their Democratic roots en masse. In New York State, for example, Trump’s support among Jewish voters rose a stunning 50%.
However, while this shift toward conservatism among Jewish voters is certainly something to celebrate, it would be foolish to assume this represents a permanent move in favor of the Republican Party. We must remember that the 2024 presidential election was extraordinary in seemingly countless ways, with the atmosphere of antisemitism being just one. But with a few small changes on the American Left, it’s plausible that these gains within the Jewish community could vanish overnight, with support for the Democratic Party shifting back after a mere blip in 2024.
If the Democratic Party can eradicate (or at the very least, dilute) the antisemitism that festers within its ranks — yes, it’s a big “if” — then what will stop Jewish voters in urban districts from returning to their decades-old habit of pulling the lever for a Democrat?
Consider the Left’s ultimate weapon: time. Much like Sept. 11, memories of Oct. 7 will fade. They shouldn’t fade, of course, but they will nonetheless. The experience of Jewish students being abused on college campuses will also fade, as will the rhetoric of certain Democrats openly calling for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state or exclaiming that American support for Israel is motivated solely by Jewish money.
With this in mind, if conservatives do nothing, these electoral gains will fade in exactly the same way.
This leaves one question: What must Trump and the Republican Party do to shore up their gains among what could be a new Jewish coalition?
The answer is to keep the momentum going.
One of the biggest problems with American electoral politics is one of perception: the idea that winning an election is equivalent to solving the problems that were central to the election itself. ‘Trump won, so inflation is over!’ ‘Trump won, so the border is secure!’ ‘Trump won, so antisemitism has been defeated!’
In reality, elections are simply inflection points that can open the door to the ability to form policies that can effect change. No policy, no change.
So, if Trump wants to maintain, and even grow, his support among Jewish voters, here are three policies that would not only keep the anti-antisemitism momentum going but provide the foundation for what could be a generational change in the American political landscape.
The first is simple: impose consequences for antisemitism.
It’s important to note that the forms of antisemitism that don’t actively incite violence should not be censored since they are protected under the First Amendment. But for the Republican Party to remain a welcoming political movement for Jews, there must be a near-zero tolerance policy for antisemitism. This must include domestic consequences for issues such as on-campus antisemitism in public universities, which enjoy vast financial support from the federal government.
But it must also include sending a message: antisemitism has no place in the Republican Party. If this means cutting ties with high-profile figures on the Right who flirt, or even embrace, antisemitism, so be it. If we don’t, and the Democratic Party gets its act together in 2028, we can kiss the Jewish vote goodbye.
The second is important as a general lesson: the White House is only part of the puzzle.
This is indicative of another problem in American politics: the idea that the president of the United States is a monarch-like figure who can fix any problem with a stroke of a pen. In reality, the executive branch is one part of a complicated system that determines the direction of the country. In the context of combating antisemitism, we must fight bigotry wherever it festers. This means focusing beyond 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and engaging in any domestic race across the country where antisemitism has become a factor. It worked with ousted “Squad” Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Cori Bush (D-MO), and it will work elsewhere. This relentless demonstration of action will attract more Jewish voters to the conservative cause.
The third and final policy is crucial: destroy Iran (figuratively, of course).
While antisemitism takes many forms and will remain with or without the Iranian regime, the brutal fact is that the radical Islamic theocracy of Iran is the puppet master behind much of the virulent and genocidal antisemitism we see at home and abroad. Iran is not only behind Hamas, Hezbollah, and each of Israel’s seven fronts of war, but according to Avril Haines, the U.S. director of national intelligence, Iran is also working to gain and hold influence over antisemitic protests in the United States.
We must remember that Iran’s status as a regional superpower and the world’s largest funder of terrorism is an entirely voluntary decision fueled by the naivety, stupidity, and sheer narcissism of the foreign policy disaster peddled by the likes of former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State John Kerry, former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, and others.
With that in mind, simply by throwing his weight behind his monumentally successful Abraham Accords, Trump can once again neuter Iran, which will undo the chain reaction of hatred and death put in play by the Obama and Biden/Harris administrations. The result? An immeasurably safer world for Jews. But also an immeasurably safer world for Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. An immeasurably safer world for all people.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Because that’s the crux of the issue: a world that is safer for Jews is safer for all.
Ian Haworth is a columnist, speaker, and podcast host. You can find him on Substack, and follow him on X at @ighaworth.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
