GOP's Antisemitism Problem: A Growing Concern

The Republican Party is facing a serious issue: antisemitism is on the rise, especially among younger voters. This problem came to light when Tucker Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes, a well-known figure with racist, misogynistic, and antisemitic views. Carlson's silence during Fuentes' hateful remarks was concerning, especially since Carlson is a mainstream figure. Antisemitism is not just a problem on the right. A recent poll shows that 15% of Republicans and 11% of Democrats believe that violence against Jews is justifiable. This is a troubling statistic, and it shows that antisemitism is a growing problem in American politics. Many traditional Republicans are worried about the rise of antisemitism on the right. They see it as a threat to the party's future and a break from the party's establishment. However, some Republicans are reluctant to criticize Carlson because he is popular on the populist right and his podcast is among the country's most influential media platforms. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is one of the few Republicans who has spoken out against antisemitism on the right. Cruz is a Trump ally, but he has emerged as a vocal Carlson opponent and has warned against letting antisemitism on the right go unchecked. Antisemitism is not just a problem for the Republican Party. It has also riven the Democratic Party. Center-left Democrats seeking to preserve their party's historic support for Israel are at odds with their left-wing brethren. The far-left's opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct of the war has manifested in protests on college campuses and antisemitic violence. Jewish voters are historically a liberal voting bloc, but Trump grew his share of the Jewish vote to record levels for a Republican in 2024. Trump has been incredibly supportive of Israel, but now it's clear that antisemitism is also a problem for his party. Matt K. Lewis, a conservative columnist, argues that Trump shoulders some of the blame for the rise of antisemitism on the right. Lewis posits that Trump's rhetoric lends itself to one of the world's oldest and most enduring conspiracy theories: Jew hatred.