Disgruntled over Gaza, Michigan voters may hurt Biden’s political future

The consequences of Washington's steadfast support to Israel are palpably felt across the US, particularly among locals in the Upper Midwestern state of Michigan.

Home of the Great Lakes bordering the Canadian province of Ontario, those like Bilal Irfan, the president emeritus of the governing student body representing the largest college of the University of Michigan, are frustrated by Biden’s handling of the Gaza carnage.

In his community, he says, locals from diverse backgrounds feel deeply connected to such events.

"Michigan boasts a large population of Muslim Americans, as well as those of Arab and Middle Eastern backgrounds of varying faith groups. Many of these people have grown up or resided in the area in the aftermath of 9/11, with heightened Islamophobia, and seeing the crises unfold in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine," Irfan tells TRT World.

Since October 7, the United States, Israel's main ally, has vetoed three “immediate ceasefire” draft resolutions put forward by different nations at the UN Security Council and has approved over 100 weapons sales to Israel including thousands of bombs.

A recent Washington Post report, has shed light on the “quiet” approval and delivery of “thousands of precision-guided munitions, small diameter bombs, bunker busters, small arms and other lethal aid”.

US Officials recently told Congress at a recent classified briefing. Some weapons transfers occurred without public debate, as the cost was below the amount required for "the executive branch to individually notify Congress."

Biden's administration is awaiting approval from the US House of Representatives to send $14 billion of additional military aid to Israel.

Following the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel launched a brutal bombardment and a ground invasion in Gaza, killing more than 30,000 Palestinians, displacing 85 percent of the population and damaging or destroying 60 percent of the local infrastructure.

Amid this backdrop, Irfan describes an "increasing awareness" of the humanitarian catastrophe among young voters from Michigan’s diverse community that is "dramatically shifting the discourse around the prolonged occupation of Palestine".

The blockade on Gaza is leaving Palestinians facing starvation amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Internationally Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice amid an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to prevent genocidal acts and guarantee humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Following the US government's inability to end the onslaught in Gaza, Irfan says members of the Michigan community are deeply dissatisfied.

"There is clear discontent at the unabashed support for genocidal policies at every level of the top brass of the Biden administration. People are seeing the clear displays of genocidal intent, ethnic cleansing, settler colonialism, apartheid, and numerous war crimes live streamed and posted on social media platforms," he says.

Ahead of the US presidential elections in November, Irfan believes this discontent is increasing and is beginning to shape the country's political trajectory.

"There is also a growing number of people tired of being gaslighted into voting for the Democratic Party on account of a "lesser of two evils" slogan. Many are ready to become single-issue voters on Palestine, chiefly in addressing the crime of genocide," he says.

Irfan suggests this trend may see locals casting their ballots for alternative options including independent and third-party candidates.

Amid the palpable anger in the Swing State, one campaign group has emerged in recent weeks.

'Listen to Michigan,' is a multiracial, multifaith and anti-war campaign, angered by the what it describes as the financing of “war and genocide in Gaza."

The campaign group is calling on Biden to cease funding the Israeli government's "atrocities" against Palestinians.

They have been pushing locals in Michigan to cast their ballot as 'uncommitted" and ahead of November's election they say they wish "to send a "warning sign to President Biden and the Democratic Party now".

Campaign Manager Layla Elabed on Uncommitted Vote said, "President Biden has funded the bombs falling on the family members of people who live right here in Michigan. People who voted for him, who now feel completely betrayed,"

In recent days, Michigan faced strong pushback from many voting "uncommitted," protesting his administration's Gaza policy, despite Biden easily winning the Michigan Democratic primary.

In the run-up to the primary vote, the group expected to generate around 10,000 votes but garnered more than 100,000 'uncommitted' votes.

Dawud Walid, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) Michigan chapter tells TRT World that "the large showing of over 100,000 votes for uncommitted sends a strong message to not only for President Biden, but the Democratic Party establishment that Muslim votes will not be taken for granted in Michigan."

The overall tally represented 13 percent of the primary vote.

"The sentiment on the ground is that the Biden administration particularly, but the Democratic Party in general needs to learn a lesson that the community's votes cannot speak out through lip service," adds Walid.

He also describes it as a signal to the opposition.

"This is also a message to the Republican Party as well, that if the Republican party or any third party candidates seek to engage the community sincerely and listen to the interests of the Muslim community that they will be given potential support," says Walid.

A growing number in Michigan now appear to be turning their backs on the current US administration.

"I believe that there will be a large percentage of Muslims in Michigan who will not vote for Biden in November in the general election," says Walid.

Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn city in Michigan, became the first of two Muslim Americans to lead a city in America in 2021, alongside Amer Ghalib.

After the "uncommitted" vote he said Biden faces a decision between “supporting and aligning himself with a war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu - the most tyrannical government in history."

The mayor of Dearborn also underscored that Biden has the opportunity to "heed the concerns" of Michigan residents and Americans nationwide.

Later, CNN reportedly quoted a Biden campaign official who said, "Any reporting that we're panicked or deeply concerned would be wrong."

Nevertheless, Hammoud underscored the closeness of historic Palestine for the Michigan community.

"Gaza is not some distant land, where innocent men, women and children are dying. These are family members and friends that are meaningful to not only us here in Dearborn, who are losing family members on a daily basis," he said.

Irfan says the uncommitted vote in Michigan is broadly a "direct rebuke to Biden."

He insists the high numbers of locals voting uncommitted cannot be "overstated" amid the push to forecast voting margins that could dictate how Michigan's electoral votes swing.

More widely, Irfan describes Michigan's voting pattern as a broader trend in the US.

He points to the "tens of thousands" of uncommitted votes across other US states including North Carolina, Minnesota, Colorado, and Massachusetts.

Those like Elabed insist they don't wish for a Trump President but say “Biden has put Netanyahu ahead of American democracy. We cannot afford to pay the bill for disregarding Palestinian lives should it come due in November.”

For Irfan, the potential impact of a victory of former Trump that would bring domestic and international implications, although he says it "seems to have been triumphed by the need to be principled in a stand for Palestinian human rights and showcasing political consequences for Biden's policies."

In the last US election in 2020, Biden beat Trump by little more than 150,000 votes compared to 2016, when Trump won with less 11,000 votes against Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Now Irfan describes more rhetoric than actions regarding safeguarding Palestinian life in the besieged enclave.

Irfan says, "Proclamations of concern for Palestinians, advocating for aid deliveries in Gaza, and calls for a temporary ceasefire will not bring back the tens of thousands killed, injured, and maimed. The message from Michigan and many Muslims is clear: Genocide will not be forgotten."