Arab American leaders urge people to vote in primaries, even if they are upset

President Joe Biden was in metro Detroit last week to meet with union leaders, but he did not meet with Arab American or Muslim community leaders.

Organizers of the Abandon Biden Campaign held a news conference in Dearborn a day before the president’s Michigan visit to express their displeasure of his support for Israel’s attacks in Gaza.

Samraa Luqman, the group’s co-chair, says the campaign is asking people to show up for the primaries and vote, rather than sit out the primary election.

“We are not telling people not to vote for Trump, we are telling people to essentially vote their conscience, just like the Democrats did in 2016. Right? We’re telling them go and vote for anybody but the person that is committing a genocide, so whether that is a Republican candidate, another Democratic candidate voting uncommitted, or writing in free Palestine,” she said.

Luqman says the community is upset that Biden is attempting to meet with people without calling for a ceasefire.

“It’s almost as if he’s saying, I will go and I will win Michigan without you guys intentionally seeking endorsements from the UAW or campaign events there and not actually calling for a ceasefire or committing to sending somebody that is a policymaker or changer to our community,” she said.

She says campaign leaders are encouraging people to vote “uncommitted” in the primary election.

Abandon Biden campaign leaders says the movement initially started in seven swing states and is expanding nationally.

Palestinian American Khalid Turaani is the co-chair of the Abandon Biden campaign. He says the movement hopes to hold Biden accountable for his support of Israel throughout the conflict.

“The abandoned Biden campaign held its first conference in the city of Dearborn where people from the seven swing states came to Michigan to coalesce around the idea that we must punish Joe Biden, Joe Biden is right now beyond, beyond repair beyond redemption,” he said.

Last week Arab American leaders declined to meet with Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

Biden says Israel has a right to defend itself following Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, which left more than 1,200 dead. Israel’s military response in Gaza has killed over 26,000 Palestinians.

The group is also asking for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Use the media player above for the full interview with Samraa Luqman, co-chair of the Abandon Biden campaign.