The GOP loves Netanyahu as much as Reagan

The survey results come at the end of a year during which Netanyahu was accused by many of heavy-handed intervention in American politics. As he weighed into the congressional debate on the Iranian nuclear program, the Israeli leader managed to become an American household name. Even nationally, among all Americans, he places third, coming after Obama and Ronald Reagan, slightly ahead of Pope Francis.

But before the Israeli prime minister’s office breaks open the champagne, it should pay attention to other poll results suggesting that this popularity among Republicans and evangelicals has come at a heavy price for the prime minister and Israel.

The University of Maryland poll of a nationally representative sample of 875 Americans, and an oversample of 863 evangelicals/born again Christians was conducted in cooperation with the Program for Public Consultation and fielded by Nielsen Scarborough, Nov. 4-10. (It will be released at an event of the Brookings Institution on Dec. 4).

Here is a start: While a plurality of Americans say Israel has just the “right level of influence” in American politics, twice as many Americans say it has too much influence as say it has too little.