The Democrats in Michigan have admitted that President Joe Biden’s reelection chances have taken a hit among the state’s Muslim population. On the other hand, they are concerned that those voters would defect to Trump.
Muslim American leaders in Dearborn, Michigan, and other swing states threatened to leave the Democratic incumbent Joe Biden for his stance on the continuing Israel-Hamas conflict, prompting a hashtag campaign to be started last weekend.
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Michigan) expressed his concern about potential defections in a state like Michigan, saying, “It’s hard to unring that bell when, the first couple of weeks after Oct. 7, I don’t think the community felt that they were hearing what they wanted to hear” from Biden.
In 2020, out of 5.54 million ballots cast, Biden narrowly defeated his opponent by little over 150,000 votes. According to Emgage, a nationwide group that aims to engage Muslims politically, there were 206,000 registered Muslims voters in the state for the 2020 elections. When Trump ran for president in 2016, he won the state by about 10,000 votes.
“Do they really want Trump?” Questioned Dearborn by a visibly irritated Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan). “He has threatened to outlaw them and called them vermin,” she claimed.
Even though the election is still nearly a year away, most Michigan Democrats recognised that the Muslim American community was afraid and frustrated by Biden’s handling of the Middle East situation.
Their worry, fury, and terror at what’s occurring are greatly appreciated. Speaking in an interview, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) expressed her belief that President Biden and his team are working tirelessly to halt the violence and return citizens home.
Stabenow indicated, “We’ll have to see where all of this lands in the end” when asked how significant it would be in her state’s presidential election. In the coming months, I’m hoping for better things.
While acknowledging Biden’s long history of Muslim American support, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), who is in charge of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm in his state and is defending Debbie Stabenow’s open seat, said, “he’s got to continue to work with the community and now I think that’ll continue.”
Muslim leaders from several states are part of the campaign; some members of the delegation, such as Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Michigan), have stated that they are unaware of it.
Regardless of the level of frustration that Muslim Americans feel against Biden, political leaders have cast doubt on Trump’s ability to serve as a credible alternative.
Kildee acknowledged that there is a notable divide in opinion within the Muslim and Arab American community over the president’s approach to addressing this matter. “But then there’s Donald Trump, who actually intended when he called for a travel ban on Muslims entering the US.”
