newYou can now listen to Fox News articles.
Vice President Kamala Harris may have sealed her fate in Pennsylvania, albeit not in the way she intended.
After publicly agreeing with a heckler condemning Israeli genocide, the vice president faces growing dissatisfaction with Democrats' support for Israel in a desperate attempt to placate Arab American voters in a state that is likely irreversible. suggested. And in doing so, Harris continued to alienate another key demographic: Jewish voters. And it's in Pennsylvania that she could pay the ultimate price.
At a campaign event in Wisconsin, a heckler yelled at Harris about alleged Israeli war crimes, to which Harris responded, “What he's saying is true.” This comment was not an ad hoc reaction, but an affirmation of a false narrative designed to placate disaffected Arab American voters.
Traditional Democratic leaders in Michigan's key voting districts abandon Harris in favor of Trump
Her campaign only retracted the statement after her calculated response attracted too much attention. But it was the latest in a series of signs that the Democratic Party, once seen as a strong ally of Israel, was shifting under the weight of progressive voices rejecting a Jewish state. This was the first time this had happened.
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris attends a town hall with Maria Shriver at the Royal Oak Music Theater in Royal Oak, Michigan, USA on October 21, 2024. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)
Harris is clearly aware that Michigan's Arab American community is increasingly dissatisfied with the Biden administration's stance on Israel, and she is trying to walk a political tightrope. Michigan has the largest Arab-American population in the country, giving this voting bloc power in races that can be won with a tiny percentage of the vote.
But it is impossible to pacify this base without condemning Israel's genocide, and Harris is already behind the curve in Michigan. With former President Donald Trump gaining momentum at the right time, Harris' chances of winning Michigan are slim, even with her appeasement strategy.
If appeasing Michigan's Arab voters is unlikely to succeed, at what cost? It's Pennsylvania's Jewish voters, who could be the deciding factor. Harris is already struggling in Pennsylvania, a state that is more important than Michigan if she is to win the White House. Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, particularly in the suburban areas around Philadelphia, have traditionally been strongly Democratic. But there are signs of a shift away from the party, and Harris' recent comments could accelerate that move.
“I don't think anyone in my family from my generation or older has voted for Harris, and I've never voted Republican before,” Pittsburgh resident Rona Kaufman, 49, told The Associated Press. Never happened,” he said. “My sister has a Trump sign outside her house, which is a big change.”
Dave McCormick appears. Republican candidates running for Pennsylvania's Senate are strategically courting Jewish voters. He has capitalized on growing dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party's changing stance on Israel and positioned himself as a staunch defender of the U.S.-Israel alliance. McCormick has repeatedly visited synagogues and hosted events specifically for the Jewish community, and it's clear he wants to capitalize on the rhetoric that Harris has just embraced and expanded upon.
For more FOX News opinions, click here
It's not just McCormick. Across the country, Republicans are making inroads with Jewish voters who understandably feel abandoned by Democrats who are increasingly leaning toward anti-Israel progressives. And it doesn't take much to tip the scales.
In close races like those expected in Pennsylvania and Michigan, even small shifts in the electorate can make a big difference, and other groups traditionally loyal to the Democratic Party (Latinx men and black men) That's especially true when you see it flowing to Trump.
It also didn't help that Harris passed a stronger running mate, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, to Minnesota Governor. Even a small shift of traditionally Democratic Jewish voters toward the Republican Party — say 5 percent — could be enough to sway key counties and possibly the state.
But it is impossible to pacify this base without condemning Israel's genocide, and Harris is already behind the curve in Michigan. With former President Donald Trump gaining momentum at the right time, Harris' chances of winning Michigan are slim, even with her appeasement strategy.
This isn't happening in a vacuum. A recent Pew Research survey found that while Jewish voters still overwhelmingly support the Democratic Party, support for the Republican Party has steadily increased, with more Jews viewing President Trump as more pro-Israel than Democrats. It became clear that there were more people.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A Siena College poll in September even showed Trump with a 10-point lead over Harris among Jewish voters. That support has since shifted to Harris, but it is unclear whether this is due to a sampling anomaly, especially since Jewish support for the Democratic presidential candidate is at its lowest since President Donald Trump, according to the latest Manhattan Institute poll. , clearly indicating that there is a movement toward Mr. Trump. Reagan era.
The electoral map is unforgiving, and Pennsylvania is a make-or-break state for Harris, where every percentage point counts. If Jewish voters decide to punish Democrats for their lack of support for Israel and their embrace of anti-Semitic voices within the party, it could put a nail in the coffin for Harris' presidential ambitions. .
Click here to read more from Jason Lantz
