Staff Reports
In a twist that has left the political establishment in a tizzy, the Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, has declined to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, opting instead to jump on the MAGA train alongside Donald Trump. This stunning development is particularly headline-worthy in a city noted for housing the largest Arab and Muslim-American community in the United States. It appears that the loyalty of Arab-American voters may be slipping away from the Democrats faster than a Biden gaffe on live television.
The Dearborn mayor, who made history as the city’s first Arab American mayor in 2022, has voiced his discontent with the Democratic Party’s approach to Middle Eastern policy. Hammoud’s move sends shockwaves, especially considering the backdrop of his personal ties to the region—he is the son of Lebanese immigrants and has family that has been directly affected by wars in Lebanon. Rather than offer support to the current administration, he has apparently decided that Kamala’s promises will not stand up to scrutiny, leading him to choose silence over endorsement.
Surprisingly, despite the Democratic pedigree, Hammoud’s disapproval of Harris comes in the context of a significant shift among Arab-American voters. Recent polling indicates that Trump is leading Harris among this demographic by a narrow margin. One might say this election is shaping up to be less about party loyalty and more about which candidate can actually address the concerns of voters. It seems the latest headache for the Democrats is that they might just be losing an entire voting block to the man they love to vilify.
The Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan — a Democrat — will not endorse Harris, citing Gaza.
He tells me people should “vote your moral conscience.”@AHammoudMI and I also spoke about the failure of U.S. media to humanize the suffering of the Palestinian and Lebanese people. pic.twitter.com/MtqFUQdPKb
— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) October 25, 2024
Kamala Harris must be asking herself how this happened. Most political observers would agree that losing an endorsement from a prominent leader within a community that has traditionally leaned Democratic is about as welcome as a raccoon in a garbage can. Hammoud’s message to the voters—one to “vote your moral conscience”—reflects a growing sentiment that perhaps neither of the established party candidates is hitting the mark.
This entertaining political drama is just the latest in a series of “what is going on?” moments for Democrats. With a coalition of voters disillusioned with the party’s handling of critical foreign issues, they might find themselves facing a formidable challenge come election day. In a state like Michigan, where every vote counts, it’s clear that for Kamala and her crew, the road to victory is becoming increasingly bumpy. At this rate, Democrats might need to start paying attention to what those votes actually mean—or risk falling asleep at the wheel.
