A panel of uncommitted voters in Dearborn, Michigan, expressed their concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris' speech at the DNC, in which she mentioned the war in Gaza. The voters warned that Harris' stance on the issue could lead to a loss of support and potentially hand the election to former President Donald Trump.
A panel of uncommitted voters in Dearborn, Michigan, expressed their concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris' speech at the DNC, in which she mentioned the war in Gaza. The voters warned that Harris' stance on the issue could lead to a loss of support and potentially hand the election to former President Donald Trump.
During the Democratic National Convention, Harris spoke about the October 7 terrorist attack and the Israel-Hamas war that followed. She said, "President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination."
Uncommitted Voters Warn Harris: Gaza War Mention May Cost Democrats the Election
However, the uncommitted voters, who belong to an anti-Israel movement of traditionally Democratic voters, were not satisfied with Harris' remarks. They felt that she downplayed the suffering of Palestinians during the war.
"She walked the line. First, she talked about Israel and how October 7th was horrible. Yeah, it was horrible, but it felt like she kind of downplayed what’s been going on the last 10 months," one man said.
Uncommitted Voters Warn Harris: Gaza War Mention May Cost Democrats the Election
Another man, wearing a keffiyeh, a Middle Eastern scarf associated with support for the Palestinian cause, said, "If she would have called for a permanent ceasefire, saying, ‘We do need a permanent ceasefire,’ I think that for me, it would’ve been different."
The voters also expressed frustration with the Biden-Harris administration's overall handling of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. They said that they have been longtime supporters of the Democratic Party, but they are now reconsidering their support in light of the administration's policies.
Uncommitted Voters Warn Harris: Gaza War Mention May Cost Democrats the Election
"We’ve been voting for Democrats a long time," said one man. "We’ve hosted Democrats in our homes, we’ve donated to them, we’ve fundraised for them, and we’ve knocked on doors for them, but at this point our money is going to our families overseas who are dying every single day who need aid because of the direct results of this administration which she’s part of."
A woman wearing a headscarf and keffiyeh was even more critical, saying, "You’re bombing our families with our money and just one good speech is going to win us over again? I don’t think so."
Uncommitted Voters Warn Harris: Gaza War Mention May Cost Democrats the Election
The voters warned that Harris' stance on the Gaza war could have severe electoral consequences for the Democratic Party. They said that she could lose enough support from uncommitted voters to hand the election to Trump.
"They’re losing voters who are going to put Trump in the office, that’s on them. That’s not on us. They are distancing their voters from them. They are not listening to their constituents. It’s on them. It’s not on us," one woman said.
The panel of uncommitted voters represents a growing concern within the Democratic Party about the potential loss of support from minority voters. If Harris and the Democratic Party cannot address the concerns of these voters, it could cost them the election in November.
According to a recent poll by the Arab American Institute, 63% of Arab Americans say that the Biden-Harris administration has not done enough to address the needs of the Palestinian people. The poll also found that 52% of Arab Americans say that they are less likely to vote for the Democratic Party in the midterm elections because of the administration's handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The Democratic Party needs to take the concerns of uncommitted voters seriously. If they do not, they could lose the election to the Republicans.
