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Kamala Gets Snubbed By Group That Could Decide Key Battleground State

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2 months ago

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In what could prove to be a critical setback for the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris has lost the support of the Uncommitted National Movement, a prominent anti-war organization with deep roots in Michigan’s Palestinian American community. The group, which had been pressuring Harris to meet with families affected by U.S.-backed bombings in Gaza and to adopt a more peace-oriented stance on U.S. aid to Israel, announced it will not endorse her, citing her unwillingness to shift on key foreign policy issues.

The Uncommitted National Movement, born out of the anti-war efforts against U.S. involvement in Gaza, has grown into a powerful grassroots organization, especially among Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan. The group organized a historic sit-in at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago earlier this year, demanding a meeting with Harris by September 15. Their request centered on halting U.S. arms sales to Israel and securing a ceasefire in Gaza. However, the campaign’s failure to engage with these demands has led the movement to publicly distance itself from Harris.

In a statement released following the deadline, the group said, “Vice President Harris’s unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights law has made it impossible for us to endorse her.” They added that while they oppose a Trump presidency, their disappointment in the Democratic leadership’s handling of the Israel-Palestine issue has made it difficult for them to support Harris in the upcoming election.

This snub is particularly significant because Michigan is a battleground state, and Muslim voters there played a key role in Joe Biden’s victory in 2020. The Arab American community, which includes a sizable Palestinian population, has been increasingly vocal about its opposition to U.S. support for Israel. Many within the community are still upset by the Biden administration’s handling of the 2021 Gaza conflict and see Harris’s silence on the issue as further alienation.

The group’s influence should not be underestimated. During the Democratic primaries, the movement helped galvanize over 100,000 anti-war voters in Michigan and garnered 30 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Their activism, particularly through their “Not Another Bomb” campaign, has expanded nationwide, mobilizing over 100,000 people across 35 states.

Michigan has played a pivotal role as a battleground state. In 2016, Donald Trump secured a narrow victory, winning the state by just 10,704 votes, a margin of less than 1%. The upset helped propel Trump to the presidency, as Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all flipped Republican for the first time in decades. However, in 2020, Joe Biden managed to reclaim Michigan for the Democrats, winning by over 154,000 votes. Michigan’s importance, with its 16 electoral votes, makes it a crucial state for both parties in upcoming elections.

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As the Harris campaign attempts to solidify its base and rally voters ahead of the general election, this loss of support from a key constituency could spell trouble in swing states. The group’s statement points out that 56 percent of Democrats oppose military aid to Israel, and Harris’s inability to address this issue may leave her vulnerable among progressive and anti-war voters. For many Palestinian Americans and anti-war activists, the latest shows a growing frustration with the Democratic Party’s stance on foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel and Palestine.

(VOTE: Are You Supporting TRUMP Or KAMALA In November?)



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