10 | OCTOBER 31 • 2024
rather than vote for Biden. However,
it’s not the first time a Democratic
presidential contender has faced
animosity from North Carolina
voters: In 2012, 21% voted “no
preference” rather than vote for
Barack Obama when he ran for
reelection.
But this time, the “no preference”
movement is seen as a protest of
Biden’s support for Israel’s war on
Gaza. And while Robinson has trum-
peted support for Israel — despite the
fact that he’s also had to deny being
antisemitic — Stein has had to tread
more carefully so as not to alienate
left-wing Democrats.
In response to pro-Palestinian
campus protests, Stein has defended
the right to free speech while speaking
out against violence and antisemitism;
he’s also said Israel has the right to
defend itself but should “minimize”
the impact of the war on civilians in
Gaza.
In recent decades, Republicans
have had the upper hand in North
Carolina’s presidential elections:
Obama, in 2008, is the only Democrat
to have won the state’s presidential
vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
On the other hand, Trump’s victory
in 2020 was a narrow one — about
75,000 votes, or 1% of the total — so
Democrats could be within striking
distance this time.
PENNSYLVANIA
With 19 electoral votes, more than
any other swing state, Pennsylvania
is the biggest prize among the
battleground seven. Registered
Democrats outnumber Republicans
by about 400,000, but Biden only
beat Trump there in 2020 by 80,000
votes, a 1% margin; Trump won in
2016 with an even smaller margin,
about 0.5%.
The state’s 300,000 Jews make up
3% of the electorate, according to the
American Jewish Population Project
at Brandeis. Two-thirds of them are
Democrats, so their support is essen-
tial to a Harris win.
The state has a Jewish Democratic
governor, Josh Shapiro, and an
outspoken ally on Israel and other
Jewish issues in Democratic Sen.
John Fetterman (who is not him-
self Jewish). Neither Shapiro nor
Fetterman is on the ballot this
November, but Pennsylvania’s other
Democratic senator, Bob Casey, is.
Casey is leading in the polls, though
his Republican challenger, Dave
McCormick, is trying to paint himself
as a stronger supporter of Israel.
WISCONSIN
Four of the past six presidential elec-
tions have been decided by less than
a percentage point in Wisconsin,
including Trump’s win in 2016 and his
loss in 2020. The Republican National
Convention was held this year in
Milwaukee.
Wisconsin does not have
party registration, but 48,000
people voted “uninstructed” in
April rather than cast a vote for
either candidate. That’s more than
double the votes Biden won by
in 2020 and was seen as another
protest against Biden’s support for
Israel’s war with Hamas.
The state’s 40,000 Jews make up
less than 1% of the electorate and
two-thirds of them vote Democrat,
according to the American Jewish
Population Project at Brandeis.
Wisconsin voters are fickle about
party affiliation: In 2022, they
split their allegiance, reelecting a
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson,
and a Democratic governor, Tony
Evers.
This story was first published by the Forward
(forward.com) and reprinted with permission.
OUR COMMUNITY
Pennsylvania
Gov. Josh Shapiro
ANDREW HARNIK/GETTY IMAGES
continued from page 9
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