In the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election, a quiet yet powerful shift is brewing among voters. Disillusioned with Kamala Harris’ support for Israel’s siege of Gaza, Arab American and Muslim voters are now turning away from the Democratic party in favor of Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate. While Stein’s odds of clinching the presidency are slim, her vocal opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel has struck a deep chord among voters who feel betrayed by the Biden administration’s foreign policy.
Historically, these communities have been a reliable bloc for Democrats, with exit polls showing President Biden won between 64% and 84% of the Muslim vote in 2020. However, according to a late-August poll by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in Michigan, where the Arab American community is particularly strong, 40% of Muslim voters now back Stein. Harris, meanwhile, limps behind at 12%, with Trump hovering at 18%.
These percentages might seem small, but in the battleground states—where a few thousand votes can decide the race—this swing could tip the scales. Michigan, along with states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, has consistently been a game of narrow margins in past elections, and this year is no different. In Nevada, Trump currently edges out Harris with 27% to her 26%, according to the poll, but Stein’s presence is an undeniable wildcard.
For years, Arab and Muslim voters have watched their voices drowned out in the cacophony of American politics. Despite years of organizing and civic engagement, the sense that their concerns are overlooked is palpable. “We’re part of the fabric of this country, but our concerns are not taken into consideration,” said Faye Nemer, founder of the Michigan-based MENA American Chamber of Commerce. Nemer’s words echo the growing sentiment that the Democratic establishment, and Harris in particular, have failed to meaningfully address the pain and devastation caused by the Gaza conflict. Harris’ refusal to meet with Palestinian Americans or engage in discussions to halt arms shipments to Israel has only deepened the rift.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign is seizing the moment, hosting events in key states like Michigan and Arizona. Richard Grenell, Trump’s former acting Director of National Intelligence, made the strategy clear, stating, “Arab American leaders in Detroit know this is their moment to send a powerful message to the Democratic Party that they shouldn’t be taken for granted.” Trump has positioned himself as the candidate who could broker a faster resolution to the Israel-Gaza conflict—though specifics on how remain elusive.
Jill Stein’s campaign, by contrast, is laser-focused. Her calls for an immediate U.S. arms embargo on Israel, her support for student-led divestment movements, and her vocal opposition to the violence in Gaza have made her a hero in pro-Palestinian circles. Stein’s message resonates especially in places like Dearborn, Michigan, where her appearance at ArabCon earned her the front page of The Arab American News under the bold headline, “The Choice 2024.” In a recent interview with “The Breakfast Club, she didn’t mince words: “Every vote cast for our campaign is a vote against genocide.” Such rhetoric, while fiery, has struck a chord with those who feel the current administration’s actions amount to complicity in the ongoing violence.
Many see Stein as a spoiler, with fears echoing from the 2016 election, when some Democrats blamed her third-party run for siphoning votes away from Hillary Clinton and handing Donald Trump the presidency. Stein’s 2016 campaign may have garnered just over 1% of the popular vote, but in a race this tight, even a small percentage could sway the outcome. Her supporters, however, argue that her candidacy is about more than just numbers—it’s a referendum on the moral direction of U.S. foreign policy.
