Detroit Evening Report: Biden’s approval rating continues to drop among Arab American voters, survey says
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President Joe Biden appears at the NAACP Detroit branch Fight for Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit, Sunday, May 19, 2024.
A recent survey conducted by political advocacy group the Arab American Institute found that President Joe Biden’s disapproval rating has increased among Arab American voters.
According to the poll published in May, less than 20% of Arab American voters support President Biden. That percentage is significantly less than the 60% of Arab American voters who chose Biden in 2020.
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James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, says the war in Gaza plays a huge role in those numbers — but some Arab American voters would reconsider their support if Biden changed course on his stance in the Israel-Hamas war.
“When we offer them the option of an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian aid demanding a ceasefire, his numbers go to about 60%,” Zogby said.
Related: Biden connects with Black voters at NAACP dinner in Detroit, warns that Trump is ‘unhinged’
The AAI report also revealed 80% of Arab Americans rated the crisis in Gaza as very or somewhat important in determining who they’ll vote for come November.
About half of the voters said they would vote for a third-party candidate or are still determining who they will support in the upcoming presidential election.
AAI predicts that if the trend continues, Biden could see the loss of 177,000 Arab American votes throughout four key states — Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Michigan alone could make up 91,000 of those potential loss in votes. Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the nation in 2023.
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