Pollster Jim Gerstein at EMU
By Robert Erlewine, Director EMU Center for Jewish Studies
As November 2024 rapidly approaches, we find ourselves — yet again — confronting what is likely the most important election of our lives. In addition to the stark differences between the agendas of the two parties, the buildup to this election has been nothing if not dramatic so far.
There was the now notorious presidential debate, there has been an assassination attempt, and the widespread effort to pressure Biden to drop out, which has finally born fruit, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris as the presumptive nominee.
As if this were not dramatic enough, we are still very much dealing with reverberations from Israel’s still ongoing war with Hamas. Beyond concerns about this war spilling over into a wider regional war — concerns which have only increased in light of recent targeted killings — the war has had profoundly disruptive effects on American politics. In the wake of massive unrest on college campuses and beyond, the Democrats are facing significant internal divisions around this conflict. The Republicans are seeking to capitalize on this turmoil and cast themselves as the true supporters of Israel.
This is a fraught and confusing moment for the American Jewish community, which is finding itself more internally divided than ever around these and other political issues. To help make sense of the present moment and what it means for the rapidly approaching election, veteran Democratic pollster Jim Gerstein of GBAO Strategies will be at EMU to discuss Jewish voters’ political beliefs and values. On Monday, September 30, at 6:30 p.m., Jim Gerstein will deliver a talk, “Making Sense of the Jewish Vote,” in room 300 of the EMU Student Center. This presentation is free and open to the community.
