Detroit Evening Report: Poll shows dramatic drop in Arab American support for Biden amid Gaza crisis
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U.S. President Joe Biden pauses during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.
A recent poll from the Arab American Institute found a sharp decline in support for President Joe Biden among Arab Americans.
The survey, conducted by phone between Oct. 23-27, asked 500 respondents about their political allegiances since the start of the latest conflict involving Israel and the Gaza Strip.
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James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, said only 17% of Arab American voters polled supported President Joe Biden, down from about 59% in 2020. The survey also showed a drop in support for President Biden among all demographics and political party affiliations, he said.
“What also intrigued me was the extent to which the shift occurred among every group, whether they were Democrat or Republican, whether they were Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Lebanese, Egyptian, Palestinian,” said Zogby.
The survey found Arab American voters are not happy with either the Democratic or Republican options for president. Arab Americans typically have not chosen a third-party option for president, but the current violence involving Palestinians might change that, Zogby said.
“Palestine remains the wound in the heart that doesn’t heal. It is as emotionally important to people of Arab descent, as Wounded Knee was to Native Americans,” he said. “This is a symbol of hurt.”
The poll also found that three-quarters of Arab Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 were concerned they would face discrimination because of the situation in Gaza.
The poll has a margin of error of about 5%.
WDET reporter Nargis Rahman contributed to this report.
Other headlines for Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023:
- Detroit’s Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department is hosting part two of its Minority and Women-Based Enterprise Certification Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Butzel Family Recreation Center.
- The Rink at Campus Martius will open to the public beginning Saturday, Nov. 18, a day before Detroit’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 17.
- The community activist group Dream of Detroit is hosting their annual Dream Gala commemorating the group’s 10th anniversary from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at SoHo Banquet & Event Center in Westland.
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