LONDON: Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in the US Congress, chose not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris at a recent United Auto Workers rally in Detroit.
The conflict in Gaza has become a major issue for the large Arab American voter base in Michigan, and Tlaib’s non-endorsement on Friday marked a notable departure in her progressive circle, known as the “Squad.”
The other members — Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — endorsed Harris in July, making Tlaib the sole holdout.
Addressing the rally, Tlaib encouraged those attending to mobilize against corporate interests.
“Don’t underestimate the power you all have,” she said. “More than those ads, those lawn signs, those billboards, you all have more power to turn out people that understand we’ve got to fight back against corporate greed in our country.”
Democrats are concerned about a potential replay of the 2016 election, in which third-party votes in Michigan and Wisconsin contributed to Hillary Clinton’s narrow loss.
Tlaib has expressed frustration with her party’s stance on the Gaza conflict. During a recent interview with Zeteo, Tlaib criticized the Democratic Party’s silence on Palestinian issues, saying: “Our trauma and pain feel unseen and ignored by both parties. One party uses our identity as a slur, and the other refuses to hear from us. Where is the shared humanity? Ignoring us won’t stop the genocide.”
Harris, meanwhile, has faced protests from activists calling for an arms embargo on Israel.
While expressing support for a ceasefire and an end to hostilities, Harris has stated that Israel “has a right to defend itself,” although she also underlined Palestinians’ right to “dignity, security.”
In her remarks at a recent Dearborn rally, Tlaib denounced Republican nominee Donald Trump and criticized the Biden administration’s policies.
“Trump is a proud Islamophobe + serial liar who doesn’t stand for peace,” she posted on X. “The reality is that the Biden admin’s unconditional support for genocide is what got us here.”
The stance of Michigan’s large Arab American population and Tlaib’s comments underscore the complexities the Democratic Party faces with its base as the 2024 election approaches.
