Senator Bernie Sanders has been an active surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, telling crowds at dozens of stops in battleground states that “we must do everything we can to see that [former president] Donald Trump is defeated.” But that does not mean that the Vermont independent approves of the way in which the Democratic candidates have addressed particular issues—especially when it comes to the Israeli assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 44,000 Palestinian men, women, and children.

Sanders has been an outspoken critic of US support for Netanyahu and the war on Gaza, which began after the October 7 attack by Hamas but has since stirred an international outcry because of the overwhelming number of Palestinians that Israeli forces have killed. And no matter who wins the election, the senator is determined to continue leading the charge “to block US military aid and offensive weapons sales to the right-wing extremist Netanyahu government in Israel.”

Sanders is far from alone in that view. Polls show that, among American voters, there is strong support for cutting arms shipments. Polls also show that there are many Americans who are angry about the failure of the Biden administration to stand up clearly and effectively to Netanyahu.

As the 2024 campaign concludes, Sanders has encountered voters across the country who share his frustration with the administration’s stance, and with the Harris campaign’s approach to the issue. He knows, from polling data and personal experience on the campaign trail, that Gaza is a top issue for millions of voters nationwide—and especially in the battleground states that will decide the election.