The Michigan polling stations They opened their doors early this Tuesday to celebrate the primaries of the Democratic and Republican parties in a day focused on measuring the vote of punishment that the American president, Joe Biden, may suffer for his support for Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.
Most polling stations began receiving voters at 7:00 a.m. local time and will not close their doors until 13 hours later, at 8:00 p.m.
The Secretary of State (highest electoral authority) of Michigan, Jocelyn Benson, noted on Monday that more than a million people have already cast their votes through the mail or in early voting.
Although voters can choose between several candidates, Analysts are certain that Joe Biden, for the Democrats, and Donald Trump, for the Republicans, will be the winners of the primaries.
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Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is Trump's only remaining primary challenger, while the Democrats can also elect Congressman Dean Phillips, although the blank vote will be Biden's main rival in
Michigan.
Two organizations representing the Arab and Muslim vote and the most progressive Democrats, Listen to Michigan and Our Revolution, respectively, have requested check the “uncommitted” box to protest the support the US is giving to Israel in its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The goal of the protest movement is to at least 10% of the votes cast in the Democratic primary are blank in an attempt to get the Biden Administration to change course in its policy in the Middle East and demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire from Israel.
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Both Listen to Michigan and Our Revolution consider that Biden's policies are demobilizing the Arab and progressive electorate, which is a threat in the face of the November presidential elections given that opinion polls currently indicate that Trump is ahead in Michigan.
It is no coincidence that the movement to punish Biden for his position in the war in the Gaza Strip began in Michigan: About 300,000 people of Arab and Muslim origin live in the state, one of the largest in the country.
President Biden has financed the dropping of bombs on the relatives of people in Michigan
In 2020, support from Muslims and Arab Americans was crucial to Biden's narrow victory about Trump in this Midwestern state. Four years ago Biden's margin of victory was just 150,000 votes.
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“President Biden has financed the dropping of bombs on the families of people in Michigan, people who voted for him and now feel completely betrayed,” said Layla Elabed of the Listen to Michigan campaign.
“The hope is that Biden will feel the pressure of losing core voters and act.”
The group aims to gather 10,000 “uncommitted” voters to convey a “powerful and unambiguous message” that financing and supporting the war is “at odds with the values of the Democratic Party.”
A similar campaign was launched during the New Hampshire primary with little impact, but Michigan has a larger Muslim and Arab population. Abdullah Hammoud, mayor of Dearborn, a predominantly Arab-American suburb of Detroit, believes Tuesday's vote is aimed at “holding President Biden accountable.”
When “we vote for 'no compromise,' what we are saying is that your decision-making in Palestine is unacceptable, that 30,000 dead are unacceptable, that endless military aid is unacceptable,” Hammoud said Monday night on the platform social Instagram.
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Biden's campaign believes it is too early to determine how the Gaza crisis will affect the November election, according to aides familiar with the idea.
The president said Monday that a ceasefire could come next week, but did not indicate whether it would be permanent. The campaign believes the current clamor is for an end to the fighting and there is no evidence yet that voters are firmly locked in against Biden, people close to the effort said.
On the Republican side, The question the Michigan primary will resolve is whether Haley can expect some kind of miracle. ahead of 'Super Tuesday' on March 5, when several states hold primaries.
Haley lost the primary in her state, South Carolina, to Trump last Saturday. But the Republican candidate obtained 40% of the votes, a respectable figure that has allowed her to justify her permanence in the Republican primaries.
The percentage of votes this Tuesday in Michigan, even if Trump wins as expected, will mark how Haley reaches 'Super Tuesday'.
*With AFP, Efe and Bloomberg
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