A recent survey conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reveals that Muslim voters in several key swing states are rejecting Vice President Kamala Harris, with many instead supporting alternative candidates. The poll, which was published on Monday, shows that Harris is struggling to gain traction with Muslim voters in states such as Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin.
In Michigan, a crucial battleground state, Green Party candidate Jill Stein is leading Harris among Muslim voters, with 40% of respondents supporting Stein compared to just 12% for Harris. Former President Donald Trump comes in second with 18% of the vote, while independent candidate Cornel West trails behind with 2%. A significant 22% of Muslim voters in Michigan remain undecided or say they will not vote.
The results in Michigan are particularly noteworthy, given the state’s history of anti-war activism. In 2019, over 100,000 voters in Michigan chose the “uncommitted” option in the primary election, rejecting the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. This movement, which began in Michigan, has since spread to other states and has become a major challenge for Harris’s campaign.
In Wisconsin, another key swing state, Stein is also leading Harris among Muslim voters, with 44% of respondents supporting Stein compared to 39% for Harris. Trump comes in third with 8% of the vote, while 8% of Muslim voters in Wisconsin remain undecided.
Harris is also facing challenges with Muslim voters in the Sun Belt, where Trump has a narrow lead in Nevada and Stein is leading in Arizona. In Nevada, 27% of Muslim respondents support Trump, compared to 26% for Harris and 13% for Stein. In Arizona, Stein leads with 35% of the vote, followed by Harris with 29% and Trump with 15%.
The only states where Harris leads among Muslim voters are Georgia and Pennsylvania, where she has 43% and 37% of the vote, respectively. However, even in these states, Stein and Trump remain competitive, with Stein coming in second in Georgia with 17% of the vote and Trump coming in second in Pennsylvania with 8% of the vote.
Overall, the CAIR survey suggests that Harris is struggling to connect with Muslim voters in key swing states, and that alternative candidates such as Stein and Trump are gaining traction with this demographic. The survey’s findings are likely to be a concern for the Harris campaign, which is already facing challenges from the pro-Palestinian “Abandon Harris” campaign.
