Longtime Michigan Democrat and Palestinian American activist, Layla Elabed, has expressed disappointment over President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Elabed, who supported Biden in the 2020 election, has stated that she would reconsider her support only if Biden curtails US military aid to Israel and advocates for a permanent ceasefire.
Elabed is spearheading the ‘Listen to Michigan’ campaign, launched less than three weeks ago by Arab American activists. The campaign aims to send a strong message to Biden and the Democratic Party to address the concerns of the coalition that helped him secure victory in 2020. Elabed, who is also the sister of Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, clarified that the campaign is not anti-Biden but a humanitarian and protest vote.
Since its inception, the campaign has received endorsements from progressive groups like Our Revolution and over three dozen current and former state and local leaders. The campaign’s volunteers have reportedly reached out to over 100,000 voters in Michigan. The goal is to have at least 10,000 people vote ‘uncommitted’ in the Democratic primary, a reference to the 10,700-vote margin that handed the state to Donald Trump in 2016.
Arab and Muslim Americans constitute a significant voting bloc in Michigan, a crucial battleground state. In the 2020 general election, nearly 146,000 Muslim Americans voted in Michigan, according to an analysis by Emgage, a group working to enhance Muslim Americans’ political power. Biden won the state by a margin of 150,000 votes.
The Biden campaign has responded to the ‘Listen to Michigan’ initiative by highlighting Biden’s domestic achievements and emphasizing that the administration is open to future dialogues. However, critics argue that it’s not their responsibility to fall in line, but rather, the president needs to be more receptive to their concerns.
The ‘Listen to Michigan’ campaign comes nearly five months after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties and has drawn criticism from Americans, particularly Democrats. Recent polls show a growing disapproval of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict and a belief that Israel’s military response has gone too far.
For many Arab and Muslim Americans in Michigan, the push to vote ‘uncommitted’ and advocate for a ceasefire is deeply personal. Activists and voters express grief over the rising death toll and guilt over the role their tax dollars have played in fueling US military aid to Israel.
While the ‘Listen to Michigan’ campaign aims to influence the Biden administration’s policies to prevent a loss in November, some voters express doubt about Biden winning back their vote in the general election. Despite this, Elabed urges voters to turn out on Tuesday to send a strong message to Biden.
Contributor: Jade Gordon, CNN