Arab American and Muslim voters, angry with US support for Israel’s attack on Gaza, are sidelining Democrat Kamala Harris in the presidential race and are supporting third party Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. This could deprive Harris of victory in some states.
The US is to hold a presidential election on November 5. Data released this month by the Council on American-Islamic Relations based on a survey conducted in late August showed that in Michigan, where a large Arab American community lives, 40% of Muslim voters supported Jill Stein.
18% of voters were in favor of Republican candidate Donald Trump. Kamala Harris, who is currently the Vice President, got 12% support. Stein is ahead of Harris in Arizona and Wisconsin, areas with large Muslim populations. Here Joe Biden defeated Trump by a narrow margin in 2020.
Harris appeared more popular among Muslim voters in Georgia and Pennsylvania, according to a CAIR survey of 1,155 Muslim voters nationwide. Muslim support for Democrats has fallen sharply since Israel’s nearly year-long crackdown in Gaza.