‘Arab Capital’ of the US Swung Republican – Why?
Islamic Center of America, Photo Courtesy: Dane Hillard via Wikimedia Commons
As voters and political pundits begin their post mortem of Kamala Harris’ foiled campaign, the Arab community in Dearborn, Michigan are holding their breath; it’s only a matter of time before someone utters ‘I told you so.’
Whilst it’s possible to rationalise Trump’s popularity amongst white men, his co-option of the Arab vote initially seems perverse. Considering that one of his first decisions upon entering office in 2016 was to implement a ‘Muslim ban,’ one could assume that the Muslim population would recoil at the prospect of endorsing him for a second term. Indeed, Trump’s relocation of the American diplomatic mission from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem demonstrated a blatant denial of Palestinian claims over the West Bank. Casting a vote for the Republicans could be viewed as a repudiation of their rights and a backwards step in the fight for peace in the Arab world.
Yet Dearborn, the ‘Arab Capital’ of the US, swung by 20,000 votes towards Trump. In a city where 55% of the residents are of Middle Eastern descent, Kamala Harris only received 36% of the vote. However, this shouldn’t be read as an endorsement of the President-elect, or of his Republican platform. Rather, the Democrats' loss of Michigan demonstrates one of the most powerful electoral boycotts in recent years. Their vote was so much more than an expression of support for Trump. It was a form of protest against Biden’s administration and its continued acquiescence towards Netanyahu.
Frustrated Democrats could accuse the Dearborn Arab community of amnesia or blind optimism. Have they forgotten Trump’s explicit attack on the ‘Muslim problem’ and incendiary rhetoric directed towards Syrian refugees ‘pouring in’? Yet, the Arab population cast their vote with perhaps more conviction and clarity than the rest of American citizens. They have not forgotten Trump’s track record, nor have they forgotten the thousands of relatives killed since October 7th and Biden’s unwavering stance on Israel. Their vote was one of visceral condemnation. Whilst the federal courts have indicted Trump, Dearborn residents have convicted the Democrats of collusion in Israel’s campaign in the Middle East.
Trump’s success in Michigan is largely due to the vast numbers of disillusioned voters and his capitalising on a vacuum of support for Harris. The centre/left-wing vote was also divided by Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate who selected a Muslim running mate, Butch Ware, severely damaging the Democrat’s former majority. Stein secured 18% of the vote in Dearborn on a platform which unequivocally demanded an end to all military aid to Israel. She was the only candidate who identified Israel’s agenda as one of apartheid and ethnic cleansing.
Rashid Tlalib, the Democratic Representative for the district containing Dearborn, refused to endorse Harris. As the only member of Congress of Palestinian descent, she has objected to Biden’s ‘unconditional support for genocide’. Whilst she accuses Trump of being a ‘proud Islamophobe’ in the same breath, this is not sufficient for her to explicitly promote his opponent. For her, the outcome of this election serves as a wake up call for the Democrats and its continued insistence that Israel has a right to defend itself. Trump’s close relationship with Netanyahu seems less threatening when the Democrats have continuously enabled his campaign, albeit in a more elusive way.
The newly formed Uncommitted National Movement was fundamental in fracturing the vote for the Democrats. Demanding an immediate ceasefire and complete arms embargo on Israel, the movement’s leaders refused to endorse either candidate. In the February primaries, 101,623 ballots were cast for ‘uncommitted,’ demonstrating a boycott of both major parties. Harris only made this decision easier for them by rejecting their demands for a Palestinian speaker at the Democratic National Convention, and by cosying up to the Cheneys. Reassurances that the Democrats were the lesser of two evils were naive and insulting; could Arabs conceive of a worse evil than the continuation of an administration that provided the bombs killing their relatives? For them, the outcome of this election is the ultimate comeuppance for a party that took their vote for granted.
Whilst many have been swayed by Trump’s seemingly pro-peace rhetoric and insistence that Muslim officials are ‘great people,’ they too are aware of his many faults. However, he figures as a preferable choice to Harris. ‘I’ve been hearing… a lot more of the feeling that this is a binary choice, and some voters feeling like maybe we should just vote for Donald Trump because he’s saying he’s a pro-peace candidate,’ Mr Alawieh told the BBC in Dearborn last Friday. Trump doesn’t need to be the most compelling advocate for the Arab community; he merely needs to surpass the very low bar set by his predecessor. The Arab community in Dearborn may not be thrilled with the incoming President, but their message could not be clearer: vote for the end of genocide rather than the continuation of the status quo.