With the next U.S. presidential election looming, a new sentiment is emerging: not Trump or Harris for the next United States president, then who? Arab and Muslim American voters, dissatisfied with both major parties’ stances on the Middle East, are rallying around Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The “Abandon Harris” campaign, vocal in opposing Vice President Kamala Harris’s support for arming Israel, has openly endorsed Stein, marking a notable shift in these communities.
Abandon Harris co-founder Hassan Abdel Salam described the growing movement and its rationale. Stein represents, he said, where they stand regarding what they classify as genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. While chances of election are slim for Stein, voting for her for other reasons is principled – showing that not Trump or Harris for the next United States president manifests a demand for change for the U.S. landscape. Her supporters want to lay down the foundation for future viability of third-party candidates.
Growing discontent fuels support for Green Party candidate amid Middle East crisis: Arab and Muslim American voters boycott Trump and Harris
The platform and stance of Stein have resonated with the American Arab and Muslim Political Action Committee, based in Dearborn. The group officially endorsed her campaign after what it said were fruitless talks with both the Harris and Trump campaigns. AMPAC’s statement highlighted the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, something neither of the two major parties has addressed to their satisfaction.
As a response, Harris’s campaign issued an ad targeted to Arab American voters in Michigan. Therein, Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe vows that Harris will end the war in the Middle East. Wearing a cedar tree pendant, as an ode to his Lebanese roots, Turfe cautions that a vote for Stein will essentially serve as helping Trump get re-elected further sinking the region into chaos.
But the not Trump or Harris for the next United States president movement reflects deeper frustration: many Arab and Muslim American voters are looking for a political shift toward their needs. While their candidate is unlikely to get a chance to occupy the White House, Stein’s voter base mirrors mounting discontent over U.S. foreign policy and the hope for politicians who reflect pluralistic community interests.
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