Kamala Harris Loses Key Support from Influential Group in Crucial Battleground State

Vice President Kamala Harris has lost the endorsement of the Uncommitted National Movement, a prominent anti-war organization with deep connections to Michigan’s Palestinian American community.

This could have major implications for Harris in the 2024 presidential race. The group withdrew its support, pointing to her refusal to shift positions on critical foreign policy issues. For some time, the movement has been urging Harris to meet with families affected by American-funded bombings in Gaza and to adopt a more peace-focused stance on U.S. aid to Israel.

Born out of anti-war demonstrations against U.S. involvement in Gaza, the Uncommitted National Movement has developed into a powerful grassroots group, especially influential among Michigan’s Arab and Muslim voters.

Earlier this year, the organization staged a notable sit-in at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, demanding Harris meet with them by September 15. Their key demands included advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and halting U.S. arms shipments to Israel.

However, due to the campaign’s failure to meet these requests, the movement has decided to part ways with Harris publicly.

In a statement released after the deadline, the group said, “Vice President Harris’s unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights law has made it impossible for us to endorse her.”

The statement continued by acknowledging opposition to a Trump presidency but emphasized that their discontent with how the Democratic leadership has approached the Israel-Palestine conflict makes it hard for them to support Harris in the upcoming election.

This loss is particularly significant given Michigan’s status as a swing state, where Muslim voters played a pivotal role in Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

Michigan’s Arab American community, which includes a significant number of Palestinians, has grown increasingly vocal in its criticism of U.S. policies supporting Israel.

Lingering frustrations over the Biden administration’s handling of the 2021 Gaza conflict have left many in the community feeling alienated, and Harris’s continued silence on the issue has only deepened that divide.

The group’s influence should not be underestimated.

The organization mobilized over 100,000 anti-war voters in Michigan during the Democratic primaries and secured 30 delegates for the DNC. Their activism has also extended nationwide, rallying over 100,000 people across 35 states through their “Not Another Bomb” campaign.

Michigan’s significance as a battleground state cannot be overstated. In 2016, Donald Trump won the state by a razor-thin margin of just 10,704 votes, flipping Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin for the first time in decades and securing his path to the White House.

However, Joe Biden reclaimed Michigan for the Democrats in 2020, winning by more than 154,000 votes. With its 16 electoral votes, Michigan remains a crucial state for both parties in the upcoming election.

Losing support from this key demographic could pose a serious challenge to the Harris campaign as it works to strengthen its base and galvanize voters ahead of the general election.

The group’s statement also pointed to a broader trend, noting that 56% of Democrats oppose military aid to Israel. Without addressing this issue, Harris risks losing support from both progressive and anti-war voters.

This recent development highlights growing frustration among Palestinian Americans and anti-war activists with the Democratic Party’s foreign policy, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.