Arab American leaders are encouraging Michigan residents to cast their vote as “uncommitted” in order to send a clear message to Biden regarding his stance on Israel’s policies.
Leaders in Michigan are advocating for voters to choose “uncommitted” in the primary elections as a means of expressing their dissatisfaction with President Biden’s backing of Israel in the Gaza conflict before the November election.
According to Hussein Dabajeh, a leader of the “Vote Uncommitted” campaign, the primary focus is on Joe Biden’s position regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.
Dabajeh stated that the person in office was not the one chosen by voters or supported by over 150,000 Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan.
According to the Michigan secretary of state, when a voter indicates a vote for a political party, it does not necessarily mean they have chosen a specific candidate on the ballot. In cases where there are a significant number of “uncommitted” votes, the party may select delegates for the national nominating convention who are not dedicated to any particular candidate.
120,000 for Donald Trump in 2016
Michigan is a crucial state in determining the outcome of an election, and in 2020, Mr. Biden won by a narrow margin of approximately 154,000 votes. However, in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton lost this state to Donald Trump, who is expected to be the Republican nominee once again this year. Michigan is also home to a significant population of Arab and Muslim Americans, with 146,000 of them voting for Mr. Biden in 2020 and 120,000 for Donald Trump in 2016.many of whom
I do not agree with Biden’s position on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The organizers believe that getting tens of thousands of people in Michigan to vote uncommitted would put pressure on Mr. Biden to reconsider his support for Israel in the conflict with Hamas. The Israeli military has limited or blocked the distribution of resources and assistance to civilians in Gaza during their ongoing military actions. According to the Gaza Health Ministry under Hamas control, more than 25,000 people have lost their lives in the Israel-Hamas war.
The Vote Uncommitted campaign in Michigan is comparable to attempts to persuade New Hampshire primary voters to add “ceasefire” as a write-in option on their ballots. In the primary last month, “ceasefire” captured approximately 1.2% or 1,512 votes from Democratic voters. However, Michigan has a significantly larger population and a distinct demographic makeup compared to New Hampshire.
refused to meet with her.
On X, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud stated that the well-being of Palestinians cannot be reduced to mere statistics. He expressed concern over elected officials treating the situation in Gaza as a political issue rather than recognizing the immense suffering it causes. In a separate post on X, Hammoud shared that a Dearborn resident has already lost 80 family members in Gaza.
The Vote Uncommitted movement is urging dissatisfied voters to cast their vote uncommitted, regardless of their political party or personal background, due to their disagreement with Mr. Biden’s position on the Israel-Hamas conflict. This campaign identifies as a “multiracial and multifaith anti-war campaign” within the state of Michigan.
The campaign clarifies that this is not a show of support for Trump or a wish for him to regain power. Instead, it is a message to President Biden and the Democratic Party in February, as a precautionary measure before it becomes too late in November.
A similar push
In 2008, a significant event took place in Michigan during the Democratic primary. Some voters, dissatisfied with the absence of Barack Obama’s name on the ballot, chose to vote “uncommitted” instead of for Hillary Clinton. This occurred because Michigan violated the national calendar set by the Democratic National Committee and held its primary out of turn. As a consequence, the DNC punished the state for its actions. In response, Obama removed his name from the Michigan primary ballot. The outcome was that approximately 240,000 residents of Michigan voted for the “uncommitted” option.
The Democratic governor of the state, Gretchen Whitmer, recently.acknowledged
During an interview on the CBS News program “Face the Nation”, it was expressed that there is a great deal of anxiety surrounding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as a significant amount of emotional distress for individuals involved.
Whitmer stated that these are authentic and unfiltered emotions held by individuals, and they have the right to express their viewpoints.
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Source: cbsnews.com