60% of Americans view Israel unfavorably as Democrats pivot ahead of midterms

The United States is approaching a pivotal congressional election in a state of internal political flux. Two years after voters returned Donald Trump to the White House for a second nonconsecutive term, the Democratic Party is undergoing a significant strategic reassessment.

This realignment is happening as the party attempts to regain control of both houses of Congress from the Republicans. Since Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, internal divisions have deepened considerably. Establishment figures and moderates are struggling to manage a rising tide of progressive populism driven by groups like the Democratic Socialists of America. Consequently, candidate positions now vary heavily by district and state.

The most visible shift is occurring regarding Israel. The war in Gaza, which began following the Hamas attacks of October 7 2023, has resulted in more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths. Public opinion has moved sharply, with a Pew Research Center survey earlier this year finding that 60 percent of US adults now hold an unfavorable view of Israel. That figure rises to 80 percent among Democrats.

Senior figures are responding to this data. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, who is likely to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if Democrats win control, told Politico this month that he wants a thorough reexamination of the US-Israeli relationship. He stated he would consider sanctions on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This contrasts with 2024, when the Harris campaign declined calls to feature a Palestinian American speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

Legislative action has also tracked this sentiment. Earlier this year, 40 Democratic senators backed a motion disapproving proposed military sales to Israel, while only seven sided with Republicans to block it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who would likely become majority leader, maintains that the US commitment to Israel's security must be ironclad.

On transgender rights, candidates in tight races are often playing down support for the community, particularly regarding student sports. Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio ran an ad stating that boys should not play in girls' sports. Representative Don Davis of North Carolina called for a safe and fair space for women and girls in sports. Senate candidate Annie Andrews of South Carolina said she opposes biological men playing in women's sports. This follows a 2024 Trump campaign ad that highlighted Harris's support for transgender Americans.

Progressives argue that this caution is a mistake. At a town hall in Portland, Maine, on Thursday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told a transgender student who felt abandoned that some in her party were wrong. She expressed shame that people scare so easily after an election and argued that compromising a trans person's rights compromises the rights of every citizen.

Immigration remains another major point of contention. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 8 million border encounters between 2021 and 2025. In Texas, Senate candidate James Talarico describes himself as a border security Democrat who backs stronger enforcement alongside comprehensive reform. Lucas Holtz of the moderate group Third Way argues these stances work because they are proactive, noting that the Harris campaign did not stick to its early call for order at the border.

On the left, the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year have fueled calls to abolish or drastically overhaul ICE. The party is also split on health care methods. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, while Andrews wants lapsed Affordable Care Act subsidies restored and limits on insurer profits. KFF polling shows 66 percent of US adults now back Medicare for All, up 13 points from October 2020. Holtz said all Democrats want to move toward universal coverage in the best way possible.