Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib withheld her endorsement from Vice President Kamala Harris during a critical rally in Detroit, Michigan, a decision with potential electoral consequences for the Democratic candidate. The state is crucial to the so-called “blue wall” that Democrats need to secure in the 2024 presidential election. It is home to a sizeable Muslim population, typically inclined towards the Democrats—but the Biden-Harris government’s stance on Israel has soured many on the Vice President.
Tlaib, a prominent member of the progressive “Squad” in the House of Representatives, avoided Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at the United Auto Workers union rally. Tlaib has expressed discontent with the Biden-Harris government’s support for Israel, which she cites as a reason for her reluctance to endorse the ticket.
On November 1, she stated on social media, “The reality is that the Biden admin’s unconditional support for genocide is what got us here. This should be a wake-up call for those who continue to support genocide,” adding: “This election didn’t have to be close.”
Recent polling from Cygnal indicates that a majority of American Muslims sympathize with Hamas’s position in the Gaza war.