Group in Michigan urges protest vote against Biden over Israel-Gaza war
A group of Democrats in Michigan are urging voters dissatisfied with President Biden's approach to the Israel-Hamas war to vote for Uncomried in the state's Feb. 27 primary, to show the frustration that Mr. Biden has not demanded a ceasefire in the state. conflict.
The attempt, called Listen to Michigan, will be formally announced on Tuesday. The campaign is led by Layla Elabed, a community organizer from Dearborn, Michigan the younger sister from Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. The campaign's budget is $250,000 and includes digital advertising, direct mail and phone and text banking to contact supporters, Ms. Elabed said.
“We are a voting bloc,” she said. “We have the political power to really change Biden's election. We did it in 2020.”
The group's website is blunt. “Tell Biden, count me out for genocide,” it reads.
There is a history of Michigan Democrats using Uncomposed as a protest vote. In 2008, when Michigan defied Democratic National Committee rules by moving its primaries up the nominating calendar, Barack Obama's campaign urged supporters to vote for Uncomposed against Hillary Clinton. In that election, 40 percent of the Democratic primaries chose Uncomished against Mrs. Clinton and three other candidates.
Biden is unlikely to be seriously challenged in the Michigan primary by Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota or Marianne Williamson, the author, both of whom are on the ballot. Biden won the party's first certified primary in South Carolina on Saturday with 96 percent of the vote. But there is ample evidence from opinion polls that his position in support of Israel as it wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip is unpopular.
An NBC News poll Results released Sunday showed that only 29 percent of voters approved of Biden's handling of the war between Israel and Hamas — including just 15 percent of voters under the age of 35. Among Democrats, the poll found that 44 percent approved of Biden's handling of the war. in Gaza, while 45 percent disapproved.
Michigan is one of just a handful of battleground states where Mr. Biden narrowly defeated President Donald J. Trump in 2020. It is considered one of the most competitive states for the 2024 general elections. Since October 7, when Hamas launched the latest war with its attack on Israel, senior Michigan Democrats have expressed concern that the pro-Israel stance of Mr. Biden is costing him support in the state, which has a large Arab-American population in Detroit. suburbs.
The president's recent public events have been marked by demonstrators demonstrating against his support for Israel. When he traveled to the suburbs of Detroit last week for an appearance with auto workers, the White House and Mr. Biden's campaign declined to reveal in advance the location where the president would appear — an unusual bit of secrecy intended to avoid an attack from demonstrators. Still, about 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched outside.
Ms. Elabed said the Listen to Michigan group's goal was to reach about 80 percent of its email list of 128,000 voters. No elected officials have yet joined their efforts, she said, although she said she expected supporters of Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, who declined a meeting with Biden campaign officials last week, will appreciate the opportunity to vote against Mr. Biden in the election. primary.
Mr. Biden's campaign declined to discuss the efforts in Michigan. Last week, during the National Prayer Breakfast in WashingtonMr Biden said he was working to end the war in Gaza.
“We don't just pray for peace, we actively work to build peace, security and dignity for the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” Mr. Biden said.
Ms. Elabed said her group's demands on Mr. Biden start with calling on Israel to stop the war on Gaza.
“It's really about the significance of sending a clear message to President Biden,” she said. “As Michigan voters, we cannot support his financial support for actions that conflict with our core values of peace and humanity.”