Victor EzejaUnited States President Joe Biden has won the Democratic Party primary in the state of Michigan ahead of the November 2024 presidential election.
This was as votes of the “uncommitted” campaign organized by activists dissatisfied with Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza were already making headway during the early poll. According to an Associated Press report, the votes had already far surpassed the 10,000-vote margin by which Trump won Michigan in 2016.
Biden’s victory in Michigan happened at the same time former president, Donald Trump won the Republican primary against his rival Nikki Haley in the state on Tuesday.
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A few weeks ago, a strong grassroots campaign was launched to urge voters to mark “uncommitted” on the ballot in order to express disapproval of the number of people killed by Israel’s attack. Palestinian health officials report that about 30,000 people have perished in Gaza, with women and children making up the majority of the deceased.
It is said that the state with the highest concentration of Arab Americans is Michigan. Residents with North African or Middle Eastern ancestry numbered over 310,000. Approximately half of the 110,000 people living in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn identify as Arab.
According to AP report, the campaign against Biden is being backed by officials such as Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who is the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, and former Rep. Andy Levin.
However, in a statement on Tuesday night, Biden refused to acknowledge the “Uncommitted” voters and thanked Michiganders who voted for him in the primary, noting that “exercising the right to vote and participating in our democracy is what makes America great.”
With the outcome, especially with the “Uncommitted” votes campaign, observers believe Biden’s campaign team has work to do in continuing their outreach in parts of the state and other areas with population that may be opposing Biden’s emergence.
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., a prominent Biden supporter in the state, said the president’s campaign was well aware of its challenges in Michigan ahead of Tuesday night. She emphasised that outreach needed to continue to not just the Arab American and Muslim communities, but other coalitions that will be critical for Democrats in November.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
