Arab-American voters in Michigan are showing growing disapproval of Vice President Kamala Harris due to the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military action in Gaza. A recent report from the New York Times highlighted this sudden shift among Arab and Muslim voters in the state, a bloc of around 300,000 people who had strongly backed Joe Biden in the last election.
The Times pointed out that many Arab-American and Muslim voters in the Detroit area have become disillusioned with the Democratic ticket this year, with some neighborhoods seeing almost no support for it. Imam Hassan Qazwini, founder of the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights, said he might vote third party this time around after voting for Joe Biden in 2020. His main grievance is Harris’ perceived lack of “even-handedness and fairness in handling the conflict” between Israel and Palestine.
Fatima Klait, a 25-year-old from Dearborn, said that most of her acquaintances will be voting either third party or for Trump in this election. She explained, “I would rather have us not be involved in Israel whatsoever. But I do believe that Trump would do less damage overseas.
Other Arab voters in Michigan expressed similar sentiments. One Dearborn resident, a 27-year-old named Hussein Beydoun, suggested that the America First messaging from Trump resonates with him. He cares more about what’s going on in America,” said Beydoun. The Democratic Party seems to care more about what’s going on in other countries versus their own people.
Despite this dissatisfaction among Arab-American and Muslim voters, the Harris campaign is actively trying to win them back over. According to the Times, the campaign has been “conducting outreach to Arab American and Muslim voters in Michigan and beyond.” This includes meetings with community leaders in the state and endorsements from current and former Arab and Muslim elected officials and leaders, as well as the group Emgage Action, which focuses on building Muslim-American political power.
Recently, Amer Ghalib, Mayor of Hamtramck and leader of the state’s only all-Muslim city government, even endorsed Trump for his 2024 bid. President Trump and I may not agree on everything, but I know he is a man of principles,” Ghalib said in a Facebook post. Though it’s looking good, he may or may not win the election and be the 47th president of the United States, but I believe he is the right choice for this critical time.
It remains to be seen how this shift in voting preferences among Arab-American and Muslim voters in Michigan will impact the upcoming election. As Mayor Ghalib put it, “Now, let the Caravan begin its journey. This is just the starting point.