A growing rift has emerged between Arab-American voters in Michigan and Vice President Kamala Harris, largely due to the Biden administration’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A recent New York Times report highlights the shift in support among Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan, a crucial demographic of 300,000 people in a key swing state.
Interviews with voters, activists, and community leaders in the Detroit area suggest that Arab-American and Muslim support for the Democratic ticket has significantly dwindled`, with many expressing disillusionment with Harris’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Imam Hassan Qazwini, founder of the Islamic Institute of America, is considering a third-party vote after supporting Biden in 2020, citing Harris’s lack of balance in addressing the conflict. Fatima Klait, a 25-year-old in Dearborn, expects most of her acquaintances to vote third-party or for Trump, citing a preference for reduced US involvement in Israel.
Other voters in the state echoed similar sentiments, with 27-year-old Hussein Beydoun attributing Trump’s appeal to his “America First” agenda, which resonates with some Arab-American voters. Meanwhile, the Harris campaign engages with Arab-American and Muslim voters in Michigan and beyond, with Harris meeting community leaders and receiving endorsements from Arab and Muslim officials.
Just recently, Mayor of Hamtramck, Mayor Ghalib, endorsed Trump’s candidacy, praising him as a man of principles.
