Arab American voters are showing a clear preference for Democrats in this year’s congressional elections, with dissatisfaction over the cost of living and President Donald Trump’s policies in the Middle East emerging as key factors shaping their political choices, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll.
The survey found that 58 percent of registered Arab American voters intend to support Democratic candidates for Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, against 34 percent who favors Republicans.
The shift is notable given the community’s closely divided vote in the 2024 presidential election. Among those surveyed, 41 percent said they had voted for Kamala Harris, while 39 percent reported backing Trump.
The economy remains a central concern. Seven in 10 Arab American voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of economic affairs, as households contend with the rising cost of everyday essentials. The survey also found that nearly four in 10 Arab American voters who supported Trump in 2024 now disapprove of his economic performance.
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers jabbed each other for an hour over the economy, national security and health care.
Both laced their substantiative policy answers with unrelated personal attacks. https://t.co/eXK5oX73dN
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 22, 2026
Foreign policy has further complicated the president’s relationship with a community he sought to attract during his election campaign. Eighty percent of respondents disapprove of his handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, while 75 percent disapprove of his approach to Iran.
Opposition to U.S. military assistance for Israel is also widespread. Nearly 80 percent of Arab American voters want Washington to reduce its military support for Israel, including approximately 60 percent who favor ending it entirely.
These views represent a challenge for Republicans as they seek to retain support among voters who were drawn to Trump’s campaign promises in 2024, including assurances that his presidency would bring peace to the Middle East.
The survey nevertheless reveals that Arab American voters are far from politically uniform. Among those who backed Trump in 2024, 73 percent said they continued to favor Republican candidates for the midterms. Some respondents cited Republican positions on immigration, crime and homelessness as reasons for maintaining their support.
Affordability is the defining issue of the US midterm elections on 3 November. Voters are weighing grocery, gas, housing and healthcare costs, while tariffs and the Iran war are blamed for higher prices. Polls show strain even in rural America.
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Watch: https://t.co/WJEgTCrlCJ
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) October 17, 2026
The results could be particularly relevant in Michigan, where people of Arab ancestry account for about 2 percent of the adult population. The state is a key electoral battleground, including in the Senate contest involving Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, whose parents are Egyptian immigrants.
Beyond specific policy disagreements, the findings suggest that many Arab Americans feel neither major party fully represents their interests. About half of respondents viewed the Republican Party as unfriendly toward their community, while roughly six in 10 expressed that view of Trump. The Democratic Party also faced reservations, with 45 percent describing its approach toward Arab Americans as neither particularly friendly nor unfriendly.
The community comprises approximately 3.5 million Americans, representing about 1 percent of the US population, with roughly a quarter living in the Midwest.
The Washington Post-Schar School survey was conducted from August 20 to September 7 among 358 US adults who identified as Arab and traced their ancestry to predominantly Arab countries. The margin of sampling error was 6.7 percentage points for the overall sample and seven points for registered Arab American voters. For the 99 respondents who voted for Trump in 2024, the margin was 13 percentage points.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
