Michigan reveals concerns for Biden and Trump
A hundred thousand people chose to go out on a cold Michigan night to vote for nobody.
That should cause some anxiety in the White House. Here’s why.
The Michigan primary is the latest in the series of state contests to choose the presidential candidates.
The headline was not surprising given the trajectory so far.
Joe Biden comfortably won the Democratic Party primary with about 81% of the vote.
Donald Trump was the far-away victor in the Republican race with about 68% of the votes compared to Nikki Haley’s 26.5%.
But look beyond that headline and there is some revealing stuff which should worry both sides.
First, Biden and that number of 100,000. That’s the number of people who turned out to tick “uncommitted” on their ballot rather than voting for Biden.
That is the consequence of a protest campaign against the war in Gaza which has taken shape over the past few weeks across Michigan.
America’s largest Arab and Muslim populations are in Michigan.
Biden’s unequivocal support for Israel in Gaza has riled communities across the state, as has the number of civilian deaths.
Biden still won with 81% of the vote, yes. But if this protest vote translates in the general election and 100,000 people refuse to vote for Biden then, in this swing state, it could cost him the White House.
In 2016, Donald Trump won Michigan by just 10,000. That’s why this could really matter.
I have spoken to life-long Democrats with family ties to the Middle East who say they could now never vote for Biden.
Some have pointed out that in 2008 the Michigan uncommitted vote was much higher. That was different, though.
The uncommitted voted that time for Barak Obama and John Edwards, who had decided not to contest the state. Their supporters chose uncommitted to support them.
This time it’s all about one issue – Gaza.
What about Trump? Well, here too, alarm bells for his campaign.
A total of 30% of Republican voters chose not Trump, but his opponent Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, who’s already dropped out.
So a significant portion of Republicans are firmly opposed to Trump or, at the very least, not fans of his.
Remember, in this swing state Trump won by just 10,000 votes in 2016 and then lost to Biden by 150,000 in 2020.
As always, Michigan will be a nail-biting state to watch closely. It should already be causing unease for both sides.
Awful idea what he do!! Biden always so clowny outher countries love to see we like this! The disaster are in his hands and i thing Joe is confused and need go back to his sleep!!
Thank you for the article. This is a very important information. I will be following this topic and see how this develops. Thanks again!
I find it hard to believe that Biden would do something like this. He has always been a strong supporter of Israel. I think this is just a rumor started by his political opponents.
If Biden follows trought with this, he will loose all support from the Jewish community. This is a very bad move for him politically.
Oh, come on! This doesn’t make any sense! Israel is our ally and Biden is just trying to appease the radical left. This is a ridiculous move and I hope he reconsiders.
Well, well, well. Look who’s finally decided to grow a pair. Biden has been talking tough on Israel for years, but now that he’s actually in office, he’s singing a different tune. What a hypocrite!
I can’t believe that Biden is considering this. This would be a major blow to our relationship with Israel. I hope he comes to his senses and realizes that this is a bad idea.
This is a very complex issue and there are no easy answers. I think we need to have a more nuanced discussion about this and not just resort to name-calling and finger-pointing.
I think that Biden is just trying to do what he thinks is best for the country. I don’t always agree with him, but I respect his right to make his own decisions.
This is a very serious matter and I hope that Biden considers all of the consequences before he makes a decision. This could have a major impact on our relationship with Israel and the entire Middle East.