HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (NewsNation) — There are growing concerns within the Democratic Party that Arab American voters, demoralized by President Biden and the party’s steadfast support for Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza, will not be casting a vote for Kamala Harris in November.
A cornerstone of former President Donald Trump’s campaign strategy has been to expand their electorate and court voters, which Republicans haven’t bothered to pursue much in recent years. This week, however, there’s been a heavy emphasis on going after Arab American voters and the votes that may be within some of those communities.
This week, we’ve seen the former president hitting Vice President Harris over her support from Liz Cheney, who he’s called a war hawk, and has been touting, even at his rally in North Carolina last night, that he believes he’s going to make significant gains in this demographic.
“She’s in free fall with Arab and Muslim voters now in Michigan. Did you notice that my poll numbers are very good with the Arab voters? Did you see that my poll numbers are very good? I appreciate it. You know why that is? Because I want peace in the Middle East,” Trump said.
And some of the polling numbers seem to support that.
In one study of Arab American voters, the former president is leading Harris, 45 to 43, with Green Party candidate Jill Stein in a distant third place.
More than 100,000 people in Michigan voted uncommitted in protest of Israel’s war against Hamas, which has led to massive civilian casualties in Gaza and created a humanitarian crisis.
Amer Ghalib, the Democratic mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, a city in which 60% of residents are believed to be Muslim and has an all-Muslim city council, recently endorsed former President Trump.
Michigan is one of three “blue wall” states that, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, will help decide the election on Nov. 5. Diverse voting blocs are key to winning virtually any swing state, but Michigan is unique with its significant Arab American population, which has been deeply frustrated by the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Trump, who instituted a travel ban targeting Muslim countries while in office and has vowed to expand the ban to include refugees from Gaza if elected again, is trying to capitalize on the community’s frustration with the Democratic administration, despite his well-documented history of hostile rhetoric and policies.
