Michigan Arab American Community Encourages Voters to Select “Uncommitted” in Primary Elections as a Protest against President Biden’s Israel Policy

The recent political climate in the United States has seen a surge of activism and protests from various communities, expressing their dissatisfaction with the current administration’s policies. One such community is the Arab American population in Michigan, who are urging voters to select “uncommitted” in the Michigan primary elections, hoping to send a clear message to President Biden regarding his stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The main push behind this movement, known as “Vote Uncommitted,” is President Biden’s stance on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. According to Hussein Dabajeh, one of the organizers of the movement, “The main issue is Joe Biden’s stance on the conflict taking place between Israel and Gaza. That’s not who we voted into office. That’s not who we helped elect.”

In Michigan, both Democratic and Republican primary ballots offer voters the choice of selecting a candidate or “uncommitted.” A vote of “uncommitted” indicates that the voter is exercising a vote for that political party but is not committed to any of the candidates listed on the ballot. If there are enough “uncommitted” votes, the party may send delegates to the national nominating convention who are not committed to a specific candidate.

Michigan is a critical swing state, having been won by President Biden in the 2020 elections by a thin margin of about 154,000 votes. It is also home to a large community of Arab and Muslim Americans, 146,000 of whom voted for President Biden in 2020. Many of these voters disagree with Biden’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Organizers of the Vote Uncommitted movement believe that if they can convince tens of thousands of voters to vote uncommitted, it may help force President Biden to reassess his backing of Israel in its war with Hamas. The Israeli military has cut off or restricted the flow of supplies and aid to civilians in Gaza as it continues military operations. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reports that over 25,000 have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war.

The Vote Uncommitted movement in Michigan is similar to efforts to encourage New Hampshire primary voters to write in “ceasefire” on their ballots. In the primary held last month, “ceasefire” received about 1.2% or 1,512 of Democratic primary votes. However, New Hampshire has a much smaller population than Michigan and a different demographic profile.

Earlier this month, President Biden sent campaign manager Julie Chavez-Rodriguez to Michigan to meet with Arab American community leaders. They refused to meet with her. In response, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud stated on social media, “The lives of Palestinians are not measured in poll numbers. When elected officials view the atrocities in Gaza only as an electoral problem, they reduce our indescribable pain into a political calculation.” One Dearborn resident has lost 80 family members in Gaza.

The Vote Uncommitted campaign encourages voters unhappy with President Biden’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war to vote uncommitted, regardless of their party affiliation or background. The campaign describes itself as a “multiracial and multifaith anti-war campaign” in Michigan.

This is not an endorsement of Trump or a desire to see him return to power. Instead, it is a warning sign to President Biden and the Democratic Party. A similar push occurred in 2008 when Michigan Democratic primary voters unhappy that Barack Obama was not on the ballot voted “uncommitted,” rather than for Hillary Clinton. Michigan defied the Democratic National Committee’s national calendar and held its primary out of order, resulting in Obama withdrawing his name from the Michigan primary ballot. Nearly 240,000 Michiganders voted “uncommitted” that year.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan recently acknowledged on CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that there is “a lot of angst” around the Israel-Hamas war and “a lot of personal pain.” She emphasized that these are legitimate and raw feelings that people have and are entitled to their opinions.

In conclusion, the Arab American community in Michigan is urging voters to select “uncommitted” in the primary elections as a protest against President Biden’s Israel policy. This movement, known as Vote Uncommitted, aims to send a clear message to the President and the Democratic Party, expressing the community’s dissatisfaction with the current administration’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. The potential impact of this movement remains to be seen, but it underscores the growing activism and engagement of various communities in the political process.