President Joe Biden is running essentially an uncontested campaign, but a push in Michigan for Democratic voters to send Biden a message about his handling of the Israel-Hamas War ended with the “uncommitted” campaign receiving more than 13% of the vote.
Activists in the state were hoping that “uncommitted” would receive 10,000 votes in the Democratic primary. The campaign garnered more than 101,000 and this movement is showing no signs of slowing down.
According to the Washington Examiner, at least nine of the states with elections on Super Tuesday have an option to choose either uncommitted, no preference, or to choose a write-in candidate. Those states include Colorado, Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Iowa.
Activists in some of those states are already preparing for a “vote uncommitted” type of campaign.
“I’m voting for Noncommitted Delegate,” Colorado-based activist Deep Singh Badhesha tweeted. “Though it’ll be late, if Biden’s polls continue to suffer and a loss to Trump looks likely, it’s up to the Dem Delegates in Chicago in August to fix this and nominate someone who can win.”
I'm voting for Noncommitted Delegate!!
Though it'll be late, if Biden's polls continue to suffer and a loss to Trump looks likely, it's up to the Dem Delegates in Chicago in August to fix this and nominate someone who can win. https://t.co/lcaG7965GS
— Deep Singh Badhesha (@DeepNotShallow) February 16, 2024
“Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) encouraged her constituents to vote “uncommitted” instead of for Biden, but Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has not come out in support of the movement yet. She has been vocal about her desire for a ceasefire in Gaza, however, and could make a statement leading into Super Tuesday.
Democratic strategist James Carville told MSNBC host Jen Psaki that the Michigan protest was a “huge problem” for Biden and the Democratic party.
“Well already, no matter what happens, I know it’s a huge problem. And the uncommitted will do fairly well,” Carville said.
Carville went on to blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the issues Biden is facing with Muslim voters.
“And they’re going to have to tell Bibi Netanyahu, ‘Hey, dude, we are not going to lose our election because you stand to go to jail. You have to think of something else.’ The negligence of this man is breathtaking,” Carville said.
An exit poll of 527 Muslim voters in Michigan found that “if the election were held today, 40% of Muslim voters would support an unnamed ‘other candidate,’ 25% would vote for Cornel West, 13% would support Trump, 8% would support Biden, 8% would back third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and 7% would support Jill Stein,” according to the Washington Examiner.
