Hasan Piker, a political streamer and critic of Israel, attributed an apparent shift among Jewish voters in New York away from Democrats to their views on Israel. He made the claim Wednesday in a post on X responding to a CNN discussion about polling trends. Piker wrote that he was dismayed voters were leaving the party over Israel, and characterized the issue as a response to Israel’s conduct.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten discussed the trend with anchor John Berman, citing polling figures described as coming from Siena Polling. Enten said Jewish support for Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul had fallen from the level recorded in her 2022 election. The report did not provide the specific Hochul support figures.
Enten also compared Democratic advantages among Jewish voters in New York in U.S. House polling. He said Democrats led by 40 points in 2018 and 49 points in 2022, while the average of polls this year showed a 13-point lead. That amounts to a 36-point narrowing from the 2022 margin, according to the figures he presented. Enten stressed that Democrats remained ahead, while describing the change as substantial. He said the polling suggested recent developments could be affecting how Jewish voters say they intend to vote for governor and Congress.
Piker’s explanation drew criticism from several commentators and political figures. Sam Markstein, communications director for the Republican Jewish Coalition, told Fox News Digital that describing Jewish Americans’ voting choices as solely about Middle East policy invoked what he called a dual-loyalty antisemitic trope. Markstein argued that Democratic leaders’ treatment of more radical elements within the party was a reason some Jewish voters were moving away. He also accused Piker of trivializing concerns about antisemitism. Those characterizations were Markstein’s views; the polling figures cited in the CNN segment do not establish voters’ reasons for changing their preferences.
Shai Davidai, identified in the source as a former Columbia University professor and author, also rejected Piker’s explanation in a post on X. New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz said Jewish voters could have concerns beyond Israel, including safety and how elected officials respond to assaults. Her comments were likewise an argument about voters’ motives, not findings presented in the polling discussion.
The dispute comes amid earlier criticism of Piker over remarks he made in August about Israel and the risk of violence against American Jews. The source says lawmakers from both parties criticized those comments. Democratic Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Jacky Rosen of Nevada said blaming Jewish Americans for violence directed at them was wrong and could put the community at greater risk. Rosen said crimes targeting people for being Jewish are antisemitism.
Other Democrats named in the report as having condemned Piker’s earlier remarks include Sen. Cory Booker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Ritchie Torres, Jared Moskowitz, Brad Schneider, Greg Stanton and Hillary Scholten. Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who had faced criticism for campaigning with Piker, later said he opposed rhetoric that puts the Jewish community at risk and affirmed a commitment to Jewish safety.
The source reports that Fox News Digital sought comment from Piker and had not received a response by publication. The material does not provide the underlying Siena polling questions, sample sizes, dates or detailed results, limiting what can be concluded about why voters’ preferences may have changed.
