Aiexpress – Over 100,000 Democrats cast their votes as “uncommitted” in the recent Michigan primary, following a strong campaign led by Arab Americans and progressives. Their collective demand? They called upon President Joe Biden to urge for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.
In the primary, Biden emerged as the clear winner, garnering over 617,000 votes, which accounted for an impressive 81%. However, there was a significant increase in uncommitted votes, reaching over 100,000, making up approximately 13% of the total votes, with 98% of expected votes already reported.
According to Jay O’Brien from ABC News, campaigners had modest expectations for the primary, aiming for only 10,000 “uncommitted” votes. Surprisingly, in 2012, over 20,000 Michigan Democrats voted “uncommitted” when President Barack Obama sought re-election.
According to O’Brien, the Biden campaign needs to take this seriously, considering the numbers tonight.
The New York Times highlighted that the uncommitted campaign had already caught the attention of the administration. It mentioned that officials from the White House were sent to Dearborn, Mich. to express regrets regarding the administration’s handling of the Gaza war. Biden, in his earlier statement, described Israel’s response as “over the top.” He also expressed his hope for a temporary ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas by Monday.
Still, the success of the uncommitted campaign “surprised” Biden’s campaign, according to the Times, and the movement is now expected to grow to other states.
The White House apology in Dearborn, where more than half of the people are Arab Americans, did not appear to appease critics. “Uncommitted” defeated Biden 56-40 in the city, capturing 47 of the 48 precincts with the majority of votes counted, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“Wow,” exclaimed CNN’s John King as the votes were still being counted on Tuesday night.
“This is a place President Biden carried big time in 2020. This is key to his chances of defeating Donald Trump in Michigan,” he said, adding that the concentration of votes signals that Biden’s “big problem” is that “Muslim Americans who were critical, absolutely critical to his big margin in Michigan in 2020, are telling the president tonight that they are mad.”
Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., a former co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the number of uncommitted votes “shows the problem” with Biden’s current strategy in Gaza.
“Time to wake up to the growing human rights concerns that many Americans have,” he tweeted. “And to recognize Netanyahu isn’t the ally some claim he is.”
The Listen to Michigan campaign expressed their triumph on Tuesday, stating that their movement had emerged victorious and exceeded their expectations.
“We are opposed to a Trump presidency, but we believe that Biden has prioritized Netanyahu over American democracy. We cannot bear the consequences of disregarding the lives of Palestinians if they arise in November. Achieving freedom and justice for Palestinians who are enduring a genocide requires an urgent and lasting cease-fire. Similarly, the safe return of all hostages and prisoners can only be guaranteed with an immediate and permanent cease-fire.”
According to the Times, some Arab American voters have voiced their belief that there is nothing Biden could do to regain their support. However, during the Listen to Michigan election night event, several speakers indicated that they would support Biden if he were to alter his position on Gaza.
“We can’t keep begging Democrats to listen to us,” expressed Gaby Santiago-Romero, a Detroit City Council member. “To be honest, none of us want Trump to win, and that’s precisely why we’re taking this stance. It’s the only way we can send a clear message to Democrats that they’ll lose unless they demand an immediate cease-fire.”
