‘Don’t blame us, blame yourself’: Furious at Harris, Arab Americans in Michigan face a hard choice
Some Arab Americans perceive Biden and Harris as being complicit in the ongoing bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon by Israel.
TroibNews 
Kamala Harris' campaign is encountering significant skepticism from Arab American voters in Michigan, a group increasingly disenchanted with President Joe Biden's approach to the Middle East conflict. Many are reluctant to support a candidate associated with his policies.
As early voting is already in progress, Arab American voters express disappointment that Harris has not distanced herself from Biden regarding Israel's actions in the ongoing war. Some perceive her as complicit in the impact of Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, which target Hamas and Hezbollah but also harm numerous civilians.
In Michigan, with a substantial Arab American demographic numbering nearly 400,000—primarily in the Detroit suburbs—Harris and former President Donald Trump are nearly equal in their support among these voters. The Arab American Institute notes that this voter bloc helped secure Michigan for Biden in the 2020 election.
However, with less than two weeks before Election Day, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East weighs heavily on the minds of many Arab Americans, who feel that both Biden and Harris are implicated in the turmoil. Their frustration is further compounded by Harris’s reluctance to publicly dissent from Biden on these issues.
“People are really right now in a dilemma. They really don't know where to go. It’s like somebody hit them with a two by four, right on their head,” stated Osama Siblani, publisher of a Dearborn-based Arab American newspaper. Siblani added that this has resulted in “total disarray,” prompting some voters to consider supporting Donald Trump as a means of punishing Biden and Harris.
Recent polling data from the Arab American Institute reveals that Harris is in a virtual tie with Trump among Arab American voters nationwide and 18 points behind Biden’s support level from 2020.
Historically, Arab Americans have favored Democratic candidates, and James Zogby, president of the Institute, attributes the current shift to Harris’s shortcomings. “What I’ve been saying to the campaign since the beginning: Don’t blame us, blame yourself,” he remarked, highlighting his extensive experience within the Democratic National Committee.
In a statement to PMG, Nasrina Bargzie, director of Muslim and Arab American Outreach for Harris's campaign, emphasized that Harris is “committed to work to earn every vote” and is “steadfast in her support of our country’s diverse Muslim community.” Bargzie insisted that Harris would persist in efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict while ensuring security for Israel and addressing the humanitarian crisis.
Harris may be perceived by some as more critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and more sympathetic to Palestinian interests compared to Biden and Trump. While Trump has criticized Netanyahu, he has also been linked to harmful policies targeting Muslim-majority countries during his presidency.
Last week, Harris professed on X that “International humanitarian law must be respected,” condemning Israel for not allowing food into northern Gaza for nearly two weeks. Her outreach has included endorsements from local leaders, including a prominent imam in Detroit, despite the Trump endorsement from Hamtramck's mayor.
During a recent visit to Flint, Harris extended her meeting with Arab American and Muslim community leaders beyond the planned schedule. Zogby expressed the need for public recognition of the community’s grievances, saying, “I need her to talk to the community in a public way to say she understands their frustration and their concern, and that hasn’t been done.”
There is growing concern within the Democratic Party regarding Harris's standing in Michigan, a state they turned blue in recent elections partly due to Arab American support.
The Arab American PAC, based in Dearborn and typically aligned with Democrats, opted not to endorse either Harris or Trump, explaining, “This year, we face a choice of two candidates who are harming our communities here and our families and friends in our homelands.”
Similarly, the Uncommitted National Movement, a pro-Palestinian group in Michigan advocating for a non-vote against Biden, maintained its stance against endorsing Harris due to her stance on weapons policies, despite opposing a Trump presidency.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has also withheld her endorsement, leaving uncertainty among voters in her district.
Siblani reflected on the deep impact of the Middle East crisis, suggesting that many voters who previously supported Biden may now gravitate towards Jill Stein of the Green Party, look to abstain from voting entirely, or even consider Trump. “They’re gonna hold their nose if they’re gonna vote for Trump,” he said. “But if they do vote for Trump and hold their nose, they are doing it just to punish Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and the Democrats.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
As early voting is already in progress, Arab American voters express disappointment that Harris has not distanced herself from Biden regarding Israel's actions in the ongoing war. Some perceive her as complicit in the impact of Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, which target Hamas and Hezbollah but also harm numerous civilians.
In Michigan, with a substantial Arab American demographic numbering nearly 400,000—primarily in the Detroit suburbs—Harris and former President Donald Trump are nearly equal in their support among these voters. The Arab American Institute notes that this voter bloc helped secure Michigan for Biden in the 2020 election.
However, with less than two weeks before Election Day, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East weighs heavily on the minds of many Arab Americans, who feel that both Biden and Harris are implicated in the turmoil. Their frustration is further compounded by Harris’s reluctance to publicly dissent from Biden on these issues.
“People are really right now in a dilemma. They really don't know where to go. It’s like somebody hit them with a two by four, right on their head,” stated Osama Siblani, publisher of a Dearborn-based Arab American newspaper. Siblani added that this has resulted in “total disarray,” prompting some voters to consider supporting Donald Trump as a means of punishing Biden and Harris.
Recent polling data from the Arab American Institute reveals that Harris is in a virtual tie with Trump among Arab American voters nationwide and 18 points behind Biden’s support level from 2020.
Historically, Arab Americans have favored Democratic candidates, and James Zogby, president of the Institute, attributes the current shift to Harris’s shortcomings. “What I’ve been saying to the campaign since the beginning: Don’t blame us, blame yourself,” he remarked, highlighting his extensive experience within the Democratic National Committee.
In a statement to PMG, Nasrina Bargzie, director of Muslim and Arab American Outreach for Harris's campaign, emphasized that Harris is “committed to work to earn every vote” and is “steadfast in her support of our country’s diverse Muslim community.” Bargzie insisted that Harris would persist in efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict while ensuring security for Israel and addressing the humanitarian crisis.
Harris may be perceived by some as more critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and more sympathetic to Palestinian interests compared to Biden and Trump. While Trump has criticized Netanyahu, he has also been linked to harmful policies targeting Muslim-majority countries during his presidency.
Last week, Harris professed on X that “International humanitarian law must be respected,” condemning Israel for not allowing food into northern Gaza for nearly two weeks. Her outreach has included endorsements from local leaders, including a prominent imam in Detroit, despite the Trump endorsement from Hamtramck's mayor.
During a recent visit to Flint, Harris extended her meeting with Arab American and Muslim community leaders beyond the planned schedule. Zogby expressed the need for public recognition of the community’s grievances, saying, “I need her to talk to the community in a public way to say she understands their frustration and their concern, and that hasn’t been done.”
There is growing concern within the Democratic Party regarding Harris's standing in Michigan, a state they turned blue in recent elections partly due to Arab American support.
The Arab American PAC, based in Dearborn and typically aligned with Democrats, opted not to endorse either Harris or Trump, explaining, “This year, we face a choice of two candidates who are harming our communities here and our families and friends in our homelands.”
Similarly, the Uncommitted National Movement, a pro-Palestinian group in Michigan advocating for a non-vote against Biden, maintained its stance against endorsing Harris due to her stance on weapons policies, despite opposing a Trump presidency.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has also withheld her endorsement, leaving uncertainty among voters in her district.
Siblani reflected on the deep impact of the Middle East crisis, suggesting that many voters who previously supported Biden may now gravitate towards Jill Stein of the Green Party, look to abstain from voting entirely, or even consider Trump. “They’re gonna hold their nose if they’re gonna vote for Trump,” he said. “But if they do vote for Trump and hold their nose, they are doing it just to punish Kamala Harris and Joe Biden and the Democrats.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
