In Dearborn, Michigan, also known as the capital of Arab America, President Joe Biden came in second in the Democratic primaries, a vote that was considered groundbreaking. Many Democratic voters in Dearborn chose to vote “uncommitted” as a way to denounce his unwavering support for Israel’s war on Gaza. Across the state, over 101,000 people participated in this protest campaign by casting “uncommitted” votes.
Advocates viewed these results as a significant rebuke to Washington’s support of Israel and a warning sign for Democrats as they head into the general election in November. Huwaida Arraf, a Palestinian-American human rights lawyer from Detroit, described the “uncommitted” tally as huge but noted that many voters also opted to cast their ballots for other candidates to show their displeasure with the incumbent president.
The Listen to Michigan campaign, one of the groups behind the effort to vote “uncommitted,” celebrated the results and promised to continue the pressure at least until the Democratic National Convention in August. The Arab American and Muslim voters in Michigan, who make up about 3% of the electorate, demonstrated their electoral leverage through this vote.
Despite winning over 618,000 votes in Michigan, Biden did not address the “uncommitted” movement or the Israel-Gaza conflict in his statement. Some commentators believe that the conflict will not be a significant issue in November, but Palestinian rights advocates argue that voters have not forgotten and that human rights remain a central concern.
The message from the Michigan vote is clear: voters are not willing to overlook policies that they consider unjust. The movement to vote “uncommitted” has extended beyond individual communities and could have implications for other state races as well. Voter dissatisfaction with Biden’s policies on Israel and Gaza could impact his standing in swing states like Michigan in the general election.