Dems fear Biden will lose Michigan vote for stance on 'Israel'
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Biden has upheld support for "Israel's" right to "self-defense," but Democrats in the state are pressuring him to defuse the situation out of fear he might llose the support of the Arab American community.
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US President Joe Biden walks on the South Lawn of the White House on November 1, 2023 (AP)
Democrats in Michigan, a state that President Joe Biden almost surely can't afford to lose in 2024, have expressed concern that the way he has handled the current war in Gaza may cost him the election.
Biden has upheld support for "Israel's" right to "self-defense", but Democrats in the state are pressuring him to defuse the situation due to fearing he will lose the support of the Arab American community.
Abraham Aiyash, the third-ranking Democrat in the state House of Representatives, expressed that the message was sent, citing calls with the White House and Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials.
Aiyash added, “We’ve been clear in saying the humanity should matter, but if that is not a calculation that you’re going to make in this moment, recognize that there will be electoral reverberations to this.”
According to Dawud Walid, the executive director of Michigan’s Council on American-Islamic Relations, the community of Michigan has made it clear that the Biden administration and those who agree with its position "do not deserve our votes next year in the election."
A top Democratic Party leader in Michigan told AP that the state now views Biden's management of the war as a "huge" issue. The leader warned that things could get worse if the war continues, closer to the 2024 election.
Michigan, which is a part of the "blue wall" of states along with Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, is still vital to Biden's reelection campaign strategy. By winning all three states in 2020, Biden was able to secure the White House. Democrats have felt more optimistic about their position in Michigan, especially in light of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's decisive 10-point reelection win last year.
Senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties voiced concerns on Tuesday regarding the House Republicans' proposal to allocate $14.3 billion in assistance to "Israel" by reducing funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), all while not offering assistance to Ukraine. President Joe Biden has already warned that he would veto the bill if it were to be approved.
Last Monday, House Republicans introduced a separate supplementary spending bill exclusively designated for "Israel."
Muslim Americans say ceasefire before votes
Days ago, Muslim Americans and certain Democratic Party supporters expressed their intent to mobilize millions of Muslim voters and refrain from contributing donations or votes toward President Joe Biden's 2024 reelection unless he promptly acts to facilitate a Gaza ceasefire.
The National Muslim Democratic Council, a group comprising Democratic Party figures from pivotal states in the upcoming election, including Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, urged Biden to leverage his influence with "Israel" to mediate a ceasefire by 5 pm ET (2100 GMT) on Tuesday.
In an open letter titled "2023 Ceasefire Ultimatum," Muslim leaders in the US committed to rallying Muslim voters and refraining from backing, supporting, or voting for any candidate who backs the Israeli offensive on Palestinians.
The Council expressed that President Biden's administration, which has provided unwavering support, including financial aid and weaponry, has been a major factor in sustaining the violence that leads to civilian casualties and undermines the trust of voters who had previously supported him.
Democrats' unity behind Biden eroding due to support for 'Israel': NYT
As the Israeli aggression rages on in Gaza, the United States is seeing its own kind of war over US foreign policies and current President Joe Biden's capabilities for future presidency.
Biden's support for "Israel" is having lasting effects on his left-leaning voters and people of color with them reporting more dissatisfaction toward him than ever before, according to The New York Times.
Liberal Democrats are demanding that Biden break the pattern of support for "Israel" embedded in US policy and calling for a ceasefire.
The issue of support for the occupation is a fundamental policy dispute according to the NYT, which makes it different from issues like the economy that could be remedied with communication. Biden is incapable of navigating Democrats' ideological and generational divides as he has in the past since this issue has no middle ground.
Blacks and Hispanics, which were behind Biden's victory in 2020, may be the most critical of his support for "Israel" today since all 18 House members who signed an “immediate de-escalation and ceasefire" petition were people of color.
