A Gallup poll released over the weekend shows that United States Jews continue to support U.S. President Barack Obama, but unlike last year, are not among the religious groups most supportive of Obama. Muslims continue to be the president's biggest supporters among the religious.
The poll found that overall approval of Obama's job performance had dropped again, moving to 48% in the first half of 2010. Obama's approval rating was 63% in the first half of 2009, and 53% in the second half of 2009.
Jewish approval of Obama's actions was at 61%, down from 66% at the end of 2009. In early 2009 Jews were among Obama's biggest supporters, second only to Muslims with a 77% rate of approval for the president's job performance.
Jews are now fourth in terms of religious groups most likely to support the president. Muslims remain in first place, with 78% approving of Obama, while among non-Christians who are not Muslim or Jewish the approval rate is 64%, and among atheists and agnostics, 63%.
Support for the president has dropped in every religious group, including Muslims, who gave Obama 86% approval ratings in early 2009.
Mormons were the least likely to approve of Obama's job in office. Only 24% said they were in favor of the president. The second least favorable ratings came from Protestants and other non-Catholic Christians, 43% of whom gave Obama their approval.
Earlier this year a poll by the McLaughlin Group showed that Obama had lost nearly half of his Jewish support. Only 42% said they would vote for Obama a second time, compared to an estimated 78% who voted for him in the 2008 elections.
Shortly after that poll was released, more than three dozen Jewish members of Congress met with Obama and asked him to display more public support for Israel. The participants said there had been “concerns” regarding the president's statements on Israel.