Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been endorsed by a Muslim political group despite criticism of her Middle East policy.
Emgage Action, one of the largest Muslim political organizations in the U.S., announced its support for Harris on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
“We feel it’s our obligation to speak truthfully to our communities as they grapple with perhaps the most difficult electoral choice they’ve ever had to make,” Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Action, told NBC News. “We are very clear-eyed and honest that the Vice President still has a ways to go, but we feel there’s a fighting chance to move her on these issues and prevent the very real threat of a Donald Trump presidency.”
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Emgage Action, like other Muslim-American groups aiming to mobilize voters and build the community’s political power, has often sided with Democrats in the past, particularly during the Trump era, when his rhetoric and immigration policies frequently targeted Muslims and Islamic countries.
Polls showing widespread disenchantment and growing support for anti-war third-party candidates like the Green Party’s Jill Stein and independent Cornel West indicate that many Muslim and Arab voters have turned away from Democrats, putting the party’s prospects at risk.
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Before this endorsement, a coalition of other Muslim-American groups, the American Muslim 2024 Election Task Force, declined to support Harris last week. The group urged American Muslims to vote for “any presidential candidate of their choosing who supports a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a U.S. arms embargo on the Israeli government, such as candidates Dr. Jill Stein, Dr. Cornel West, or [Libertarian Party nominee] Chase Oliver.”
In response, Trump has sought to capitalize on the frustration with Democrats by courting Arab American voters. Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, a key battleground state with the highest percentage of immigrant residents and the first U.S. city to elect an all-Muslim city government, endorsed Trump on Monday.
Alzayat acknowledged the difficulty of supporting Harris, especially given the concerns of Palestinian and Lebanese American staffers and supporters of the group. However, he said that backing Harris is the best option for opponents of the war in Gaza to advance their agenda, arguing that Trump represents too great a threat to American Muslims.
“If we agree that we want this war to end, and we agree that either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will be commander in chief, then we believe that supporting her is the only way to advance the anti-war agenda,” said Alzayat. “We just see no pathway forward under a Donald Trump presidency.”
He referenced the Muslim ban during Trump’s term, Trump’s current threat to deport pro-Palestinian student protesters, and more. Alzayat added that he and others have met with Trump advisers, including former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, but were “very disappointed” by the lack of commitments.
Trump, a staunch ally of Israel and its controversial leader Benjamin Netanyahu, has made clear his support for Israel, and Alzayat believes that Israel would feel more emboldened under Trump, with less pressure to reduce civilian casualties or end the war.
By endorsing Harris and encouraging Muslim voters to participate, Emgage hopes to gain influence in a potential Harris administration and push her in a more favorable direction on Middle East policy.
“We hold President Biden responsible for continuing to supply the Netanyahu government with weapons,” Alzayat said, drawing a distinction between Biden and Harris. “We are committed to pushing the next administration.”
Alzayat added that they have “hints and hopes” that Harris might diverge from Biden’s policies if elected, though he admitted, “that’s all we’ve got.”
Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, responded to the endorsement, emphasizing the campaign’s commitment to working with Muslim leaders.
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“We understand this endorsement comes at a time of great pain and loss in the Muslim and Arab American communities,” Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. “The Vice President will continue to work relentlessly to bring the war in Gaza to an end, ensuring Israel’s security, the release of all hostages, an end to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, and the right of the Palestinian people to freedom, dignity, security, and self-determination. As she has throughout the past year, the Vice President will continue to work to prevent the conflict from widening throughout the region.”
