More than 13% of Michiganders voted “uncommitted” in the state’s Democratic primary on Tuesday. The sizable protest vote is a sign of serious frustration with President Joe Biden over the White House’s policy in Gaza, and a potential warning for the November election in a state he only narrowly won in 2020.
The number of “uncommitted” ballots comes after voters, particularly in Michigan’s Arab and Muslim communities, pledged to turn their back on Biden as the U.S. continues to support Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza that has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians. Dearborn, Michigan, which has a large Arab and Muslim population, showed Biden losing outright to “uncommitted” with 56% while the president got 40%.
One campaign, Listen to Michigan, aimed to have at least 10,000 “uncommitted” votes in the primary to send the president a clear message on his Gaza policy. The total on Tuesday was over 100,000.
“Our movement emerged victorious tonight and massively surpassed our expectations. Tens of thousands of Michigan Democrats, many of whom who voted for Biden in 2020, are uncommitted to his reelection due to the war in Gaza,” the campaign said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In a statement Tuesday night, Biden said, “I want to thank every Michigander who made their voice heard today. Exercising the right to vote and participating in our democracy is what makes America great.” He did not address the “uncommitted” vote directly nor the situation in Gaza.
Voters who cast ballots for “uncommitted” said their vote was intended as a warning to Biden that his reelection bid is at stake.
“He needs to change course or he’s losing the presidency in November,” Hussien Ali, a physician based in Detroit who voted uncommitted, told HuffPost. “I know a lot of people, a lot of close friends and family, who, regardless if it changes position at this time, they might not even vote for him…
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