(Rightallegiance.com) – A recent MSNBC segment highlighted a growing sentiment among Arab-American voters, with many expressing their refusal to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. Instead, some are considering supporting former President Donald Trump or even opting for third-party candidates.
MSNBC – 10/18/2024 – discussing the impact of Arab-American voters on presidential election (featured Arabs say they are likely voting for @DrJillStein ) pic.twitter.com/OivR1aizHj
— CaseStudyQB – #ArmsEmbargoNOW (@CaseStudyQB) October 18, 2024
The discussion, held by NBC News correspondent Yasmin Vossoughian in Dearborn, Michigan, revealed frustrations over the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to U.S. support for Israel and its military actions in the Middle East.
During the panel discussion, Vossoughian directly asked the participants who they would support in the 2024 election. When asked if they would vote for Trump, a young woman raised her hand, and another panelist commented, “It’s possible. It’s definitely not Bide-uh-Harris, that’s for sure.” When asked if they would support Harris, there was no response, with one man confirming, “Not possible.”
One of the participants declared that there was “nothing she [Harris] can do or say” to change their minds. When Vossoughian inquired about third-party support, three out of four participants raised their hands, mentioning Green Party candidate Jill Stein as an option. Some also acknowledged the possibility of abstaining from voting altogether, despite recognizing it might not be the best political strategy.
The young woman who voiced her support for Trump explained her position: “Because my main goal is to get someone who is actively funding a genocide out of office.” She clarified that her support was primarily motivated by opposition to Kamala Harris rather than direct support for Trump. Vossoughian pushed back, pointing out Trump’s history of advocating for a Muslim ban, but the young woman expressed skepticism about his statements, arguing that Trump’s rhetoric had not always translated into action.
She went on to describe her experience under Trump’s presidency, saying, “Donald Trump said a lot of things his first time around that terrified me. The campaign that the Democrats ran was that Donald Trump hates us. I felt safe around the country when Trump was in office. I don’t feel safe right now with Kamala in office. That speaks more.”
Another panelist, however, voiced his disapproval of Trump, calling him “bad news” for the country and stating that he could not support the former president, even with a protest vote. Vossoughian noted that some argue voting for Jill Stein could be akin to voting for Trump. The man responded, “That’s a moral decision I’m going to make, that I cannot put a vote behind a man that obviously has nefarious intent.”
The growing support for third-party candidates, particularly Jill Stein, has been gaining traction among Muslim voters. According to a recent survey by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Stein is currently leading Harris among Muslim voters in key swing states such as Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Robert McCaw, CAIR’s Government Affairs Director, emphasized the significance of the findings, saying, “These new survey findings make it clear that American Muslim voters have the potential to determine the outcomes in several key battleground states and that they are still up for grabs in the 2024 election.”
The panel discussion illustrated the challenges facing the Biden-Harris campaign as they try to secure votes from the Arab-American community. With voters feeling disillusioned by the current administration’s policies in the Middle East, the possibility of support for Trump, third-party candidates, or abstention altogether poses a potential roadblock to Harris’s hopes for the presidency. As the election approaches, the sentiments of communities like those in Dearborn could prove pivotal in deciding the outcome.