WASHINGTON—Four years ago, when President Biden clinched the Democratic nomination, he aggressively courted progressives, forming an alliance that helped propel him to the White House and has largely stayed intact. The president’s handling of the war in Gaza has strained his relationship with progressives over the last three months. The Biden team is counting on the president’s ability to reassemble the 2020 coalition, meaning he needs to maintain his level of backing from progressives. A recent NBC News poll found 15% of voters under 35 approved of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war and 70% disapproved. Biden also didn’t support progressive lawmakers’ efforts to pass legislation conditioning military aid to Israel doing more to avoid civilian casualties, though he said it was a “worthwhile thought."

Source: Wall Street Journal February 06, 2024 23:12 UTC