Michigan Muslim- and Arab-Americans 'lost faith' in Harris
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Arab-American voters are inclined to vote for Jill Stein as many say they are "single-issue' voters.
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Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud speaks during an election ninght gathering on February 27, 2024 in Dearborn Michigan. (AP)
Soujoud Hamade, a registered Democrat deeply moved by the ongoing violence in the Middle East, felt compelled to vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the US presidential election.
"It's very emotional," said the 32-year-old real estate lawyer after casting her vote on Tuesday at a school in Dearborn, Michigan, the largest Arab-majority city in the US, a crucial battleground state.
Hamade expressed her frustration, saying, "Every time I watch the news or get on social media, I see my people being decimated, I see my home country being destroyed." She also voiced her disappointment with the Biden-Harris administration's unwavering support for "Israel".
Nonetheless, she says her vote is much more than a protest. She hopes to assist Stein reach 5% of the national popular vote, which would unlock future government financing for the Green Party and "move the needle forward" in breaking the two-party dominance in US politics.
Harris pledged on Sunday, to do everything within her power to end the war in the besieged Gaza Strip if elected president, making her remarks just two days before Election Day after a year of unwavering support by her administration for "Israel".
Harris had earlier stressed her commitment to "Israel's" "self-defense," pointing out that the occupation's security is of paramount importance for the United States.
Similarly, Muhammad Hijazi, a 28-year-old engineer who characterized himself as a "single-issue voter" who used to vote Democrat but has now "lost faith," expressed that Stein was the only candidate who is"anti-genocide."
He stated that the Democrats lack a plan to bring peace to the Middle East, and he does not believe Trump would do any better.
Dearborn, a Detroit suburb famous as the birthplace of Henry Ford and the home of Ford Motor Company's headquarters, has a population of around 110,000, with 55% of residents claiming Middle Eastern or North African heritage.
The city overwhelmingly backed President Joe Biden in 2020, helping him narrowly flip Michigan blue, but recent polling shows a shift away from the Democratic Party among Muslim and Arab-Americans.
A balance between Jewish-Arab voters, 'a complete mess'
In an earlier report by Foreign Policy, columnist Emma Ashford suggested that Harris could be jeopardizing her Michigan bid. The columnist suggests that reports indicated that Trump has urged Netanyahu to wrap up the ongoing war by Inauguration Day, which implies that Republicans may be taking a more nuanced and strategic approach to Middle East policy than their Democratic counterparts.
In turn, Ashford suggests that the Harris campaign is attempting to carefully balance its approach to appeal to both Arab and Jewish voters in different states, describing it as a "complete mess".
In further detail, she argued that the Harris campaign's strategy is fundamentally flawed. In Michigan, home to a significant Arab population—particularly of Lebanese descent—Harris appeared alongside Liz Cheney, a staunch proponent of the Iraq War. Compounding the misstep, the campaign enlisted former President Bill Clinton to address voters, where he emphasized that Israelis have been in the region longer than Islam has existed.
This approach, according to the author, underscores a lack of sensitivity to the concerns of Arab voters and raises questions about the overall effectiveness of the campaign.
Michigan, home to a dynamic Arab and Muslim community and with 15 Electoral College votes at stake, is essential to her electoral chances. It is regarded as one of the key swing states this year, along with Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
