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In Dearborn, Michigan, a city with a significant Arab and Muslim population, protests against Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza were clearly reflected in the election results.
In the recent election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received 46.84% of the vote, while Democratic candidate Kamala Harris earned only 27.8%.
This outcome highlights the backlash Harris faced from Arab and Muslim American voters, partly due to her association with the Biden administration’s support for Israel.
Green Party leader Jill Stein, who focused her campaign on Israel’s wars with Hamas and Hezbollah, saw significant success in Dearborn, receiving 21.95% of the vote.
Stein garnered strong support from Arab and Muslim voters, and in a September interview with Newsweek, she argued that Harris had lost the crucial backing of Muslim and Arab Americans, stating, “The Democrats cannot win without the support of the Muslim American community.”
The Dearborn results indicate that the ongoing violence in Gaza played a central role in shaping voter preferences. However, the response to all Democratic candidates was not uniformly negative.
In Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib won re-election with 60.56% of the vote. Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, is known for her outspoken criticism of Israeli policies.
She notably held a sign reading "Guilty of Genocide" during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July 2024.
Despite not endorsing Harris, Tlaib maintained strong support in Dearborn and secured a fourth term.
The election results in Dearborn highlight how the ongoing Gaza crisis has become a defining issue for Arab and Muslim American voters.
While Democrats, particularly Kamala Harris, struggled to gain support in the region, other candidates like Rashida Tlaib were able to maintain strong backing from the community.
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