Watan-More than 39,000 Democratic voters in Michigan have opted to cast their ballots as “uncommitted,” constituting 15% of the total votes, according to preliminary unofficial data released an hour and a half after polling stations closed.
These figures, underscore the effectiveness of the “Boycott Biden” campaign led by Arab activists in the state, aimed at protesting Biden’s continuous backing of the deadly Israeli offensive in Gaza.
While President Biden faces no significant challengers in the Democratic primary, Tuesday’s elections could deliver a substantial setback to him in the presidential race due to the activism led by Arab campaigners.
Although Biden is expected to secure victory in Michigan, the unexpectedly high number of “uncommitted” votes surpassed all projections, including the campaign’s own target against Biden, which aimed for only 10,000 votes. Democratic candidate Philip Dean, a Jewish politician, secured less than 2% of the votes after 48 minutes of counting, while candidate Marianne Williamson, also of Jewish descent, received a mere 3% of the votes.
A statement from @RashidaTlaib on voting uncommitted in Michigan today. pic.twitter.com/xOfOcYTFQn
— #ListenToMichigan (@Listen2michigan) February 27, 2024
If the “uncommitted” votes surpass 15% of the total votes in the final count, they are likely to be represented by a proportionate number of delegates. Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian-American in Congress from Michigan, expressed pride in voting “uncommitted” on a Democratic ballot.
In a social media statement, she noted, “Despite 74% of Democrats in Michigan supporting a ceasefire, President Biden has not heeded our voices. This underscores how democracy enables us to convey: Listen to Michigan.”
Former President Donald Trump declared victory in the Republican primary elections in Michigan over his rival Nikki Haley. Although Trump secured a decisive victory over Haley by a 30-point margin in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday, Haley vowed to persist in the race until Super Tuesday on March 5.
Michigan remains a crucial swing state in the presidential contest, having narrowly favored Trump in 2016 before flipping to Biden in 2020 by a margin of less than three percent.