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Kamala Harris Shifts Focus to Arab American Voters Amid Middle East Tensions
Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly concentrating her efforts on re-engaging Arab American and Muslim voters who have expressed disappointment with President Joe Biden’s approach to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, rather than focusing primarily on Jewish constituents.
This insight comes from an internal analysis of her engagements since she became the Democratic presidential nominee.
Recent Engagements with Arab American Advocates
Harris recently met with Arab American advocates prior to a campaign event in Flint, Michigan. This meeting followed her earlier discussions in July with members of the Pro-Palestinian Uncommitted Movement, which has yet to endorse her candidacy.
Lack of Outreach to Jewish Groups
Notably, Harris’s public schedule has not featured any meetings with Jewish organizations, apart from a private encounter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July after she opted not to preside over his address before Congress.
In August, her campaign appointed Ilan Goldenberg as its liaison for Jewish community relations and sent representatives to meet Jewish leaders in Michigan shortly thereafter. Additionally, she reached out personally to the parents of Hersch Goldberg-Polin, an American hostage killed by Hamas last year; however, no further direct outreach efforts towards Jewish groups have been documented since then.
Acknowledging Concerns from Arab Americans
Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Action, shared that during their recent meeting on Friday, Harris expressed a desire for peace and committed herself to working towards ending hostilities. The group emphasized that they expect her administration would differentiate its policies from those currently enacted by Biden’s administration—policies they find unsatisfactory.
The Political Landscape in Michigan
Michigan remains a pivotal battleground state for this election cycle; it was narrowly won by Biden in 2020 and boasts one of the largest populations of Arab Americans—approximately 3% of its residents identify as such.
This week marks one year since Hamas launched attacks on October 7th; former President Donald Trump is scheduled to address Jewish community leaders at his resort in Doral, Florida while Harris will participate briefly at an event honoring victims at the Vice President’s Residence where she will plant a pomegranate tree.
The Broader Context: Israel’s Ongoing Conflicts
A year into renewed hostilities involving Hamas in Gaza, Israel finds itself engaged on multiple fronts including recent military actions against Hezbollah forces based in Lebanon and missile threats originating from Iran targeting Tel Aviv—most were intercepted successfully by defense systems.
The Shift Among Voter Preferences
Historically aligned with Democratic candidates—Biden secured 69% support among Jewish voters during the last election—the dynamics may be shifting within both communities due partly to Trump’s intensified outreach efforts aimed specifically at Arab Americans. Recent polling indicates that likely voters within this demographic now favor Trump over Harris by a narrow margin (46% vs. 42%), according to data released by the Arab American Institute.
The Trump campaign has been actively running advertisements directed toward Arabic-speaking constituents across Michigan while leveraging connections through figures like Ric Grenell and Massad Boulos—a Lebanese-American businessman—to enhance engagement within this voter base.
HARRIS WON’T SAY WHETHER BIDEN ADMIN HAS ANY ‘SWAY’ OVER NETANYAHU .
Biden’s Declining Support Among Key Demographics
Biden previously garnered around 60% support among Arab Americans during his campaign but faces declining approval following events surrounding Hamas’ attacks last October.
The National Uncommitted movement initiated campaigns urging voters across swing states—including Michigan—to cast uncommitted ballots as a form of protest against Democrats’ policies; more than one million individuals participated.
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