Published21. September 2024, 18:55
Swing State Michigan“The deciding factor”: Will Muslims decide the outcome of the US election?
Muslims in the US are increasingly turning away from the Democrats. In Michigan, this could become a problem for the party – a few votes can make the difference in the swing state.
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Many Arab-Americans felt Joe Bidens strong support for Israel during the Gaza-Conflict betrayed.
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In the contested state of Michigan, which has the largest Arab community, these voters are likely to play a decisive role in the outcome of the election.
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20 minutes have caught up with the mood of the Muslim population in the city of Dearborn near Detroit.
With over 200,000 registered Muslim voters, the «Swing State» Michigan is one of the states with the highest percentage of Muslim voters in the USA. A few votes in the contested state could decide in November whether Michigan will Kamala Harris or Donald Trump goes.
Eight years ago, Trump won here against Hillary Clinton by a narrow margin of just under 11,000 votes, and in 2020 the difference was also small at 150,000 votes, when Biden returned the state to the Democrats. Until now, the Democrats have been able to count on Muslims. But the party’s Middle East policy has led to discontent in the community since the start of the Gaza war.
“Trump has more leadership”
“In November, I will vote for Donald Trump,” says Ray (32), whose parents are from Yemen. He lives in Dearborn. The city borders Detroit and has the largest Muslim population in the USA. “After the behavior of the Biden administration in the Gaza conflict, I find it difficult to continue to trust the Democrats.”
Ray is convinced that many in Dearborn think similarly. “My parents always voted Democratic because they believed that Democrats would take better care of immigrants.” Ray has continued this tradition – until now. The Gaza war was a turning point for him. “I am a one-issue voter. I base my voting decision on a single issue that is particularly important to me.”
Ray (32) from Dearborn is disappointed with the Democrats and will therefore not vote for Kamala Harris.
20 min/Mikko Stamm
The Democrats have sided one-sidedly with Israel and done little to end the war. “That’s why I can no longer support this administration,” says Ray. He is aware that the Republicans may take similar positions in the Middle East, but his decision is a matter of principle: “I don’t want to reward the Democrats with my vote.” He also wants to give the Republicans a chance: “Trump has much more leadership than Biden. I think Netanyahu would be more likely to listen to him.”
Democrats’ “sexual agenda” goes down badly
The Democrats’ “sexual agenda” is a thorn in the side of Mohsen (36) from Dearborn.
20 min/Mikko Stamm
Mohsen (36) from Dearborn also has the feeling that the Arab community is turning away from the Democrats. For him, however, the decisive factor is not the Gaza war, but the “sexual agenda of the Democrats”, especially with regard to transgender issues. “Many people around me find it tricky that such questions are already being discussed in school.” He is therefore certain that the majority of Muslims in Michigan will vote for Trump. “But I personally have not yet decided who I will vote for.”
M. and Z. from Dearborn have always voted Democrat. Now they are unsure.
20min/Carolin Teufelberger
Z., who has always voted for the Democrats, also thinks the discussion about trans rights is going too far. “The current agenda of the Democrats no longer agrees with my views, especially my religious ones.” She finds it problematic that children are now allowed to decide for themselves about their gender, thus bypassing their parents. The Republican Party now reflects her values more strongly. “But after all the scandals and the conviction, I don’t trust Trump either.”
Her husband M. also doesn’t yet know who to vote for. “As a Muslim or a person of dignity, you can’t really be for Trump, but the Democrats are also no longer an option for me since the Gaza war.” For a long time, the Democrats were “the lesser evil” for the 53-year-old, but that changed with the start of the war.
“The only thing that helps the Democrats in Michigan is that many Muslims simply don’t vote for Trump.”
Ray (32) aus Dearborn
The fact that Kamala Harris draws more attention to the suffering of the Palestinians than Biden does is not enough for anyone here. “That’s all well and good, but instead of words, concrete action is needed,” says Ray. He has the feeling that the Democrats have already come to terms with having lost the Muslim community and are now concentrating on other voting groups. “That could be their downfall in Michigan, the Muslims could be the deciding factor.”
At the Democratic Party Convention in Chicago, many people protested against the Democrats’ Gaza policy. This is why many of them do not want to vote for Kamala Harris.
20min
