Commentator Survey Finds Low Approval Rating for Vice President Vance, Broad Support for February US Strikes on Iran Among YU Students

In The Commentator’s 2026 Midterm Election Survey, U.S. Vice President JD Vance had a low approval rating amongst YU students, while President Donald Trump’s February strikes on Iran found broad backing.

In this short survey, open from Oct. 16-25, The Commentator polled 178 students, approximately 8% of the student body as of last semester, for their political views: 116 on the Wilf Campus and 62 on the Beren Campus. 42.7% of respondents attend Yeshiva College and 32% attend Stern College, while 21.9% attend the men’s Sy Syms School of Business and 3.4% attend the women’s Sy Syms business school, resulting in a one-person discrepancy in data between the two campuses. The true enrollment splits last semester in the four schools were 22%, 34%, 32.7% and 11.3%, respectively, according to data from the Office of Institutional Research.

Among male students, 67.2% of respondents are in the Mazer Yeshiva Program, while 23.3% are in the Stone Beis Medrash Program, 8.6% are in the Isaac Breuer College and 0.9%, or one student, is in the James Striar School. Enrollment in the four programs last semester among YC and SSSB students was 46.3%, 35.2%, 11.2% and 7.3%, respectively.

Survey

Asked if they plan on voting in the 2026 midterm elections, 64.6% of respondents replied “Yes,” while 11.8% replied “No” and 23.6% were unsure. In The Commentator’s 2024 presidential election poll, 76% said they were extremely or somewhat likely to vote.

Asked which of two political parties they identified more closely with, 68.8% of respondents chose the Republican Party, while 11.9% chose the Democratic Party and 19.3% were unsure. In the 2024 survey, 79% identified as or leaned Republican and 21% identified as or leaned Democrat.

In terms of President Trump’s current term, 48.3% of respondents approved of his presidency, 22.7% did not approve and 29% were unsure. In The Commentator’s 2020 poll, Trump received a job approval of 54%, 30% disapproved and 13% neither approved nor disapproved. In a 2018 midterm poll, 48% of students approved or strongly approved and 31% disapproved or strongly disapproved.

On Trump’s decision to attack Iran in February 2026, 82.5% of respondents supported the move, while 8.5% did not and 9% were unsure. Asked if they believe the U.S. should continue its war with Iran, 62.5% said “Yes,” 17% said “No” and 20.5% were unsure.

JD Vance received a significantly lower approval rating than the president in the survey. Only 14.2% of respondents said they approve of his vice presidency so far, while 44.9% said they did not approve and 40.9% were unsure.

Asked if they identify as a Zionist, 86.4% of students replied “Yes,” 6.8% replied “No” and another 6.8% were unsure.

When asked which party is more pro-Israel in their view and given only two options, 98.8% of students chose the Republican Party and only 1.2%, or two students, chose the Democratic Party.

The survey was sent twice by email to the student body. It was also sent to two large Wilf and Beren student WhatsApp chats, though not all students are members of these chats. Responses were fully anonymous.

Questions had a neutral response option, with the exception of the final question, which had a binary choice. An additional question, judging by its responses, was found to not be sufficiently clear and was removed from the survey.

Photo Caption: JD Vance had a low approval rating among polled students in The Commentator’s 2026 Midterm Election Survey

Photo Credit: Daniel Brauner