Third party votes over Gaza give Kamala Harris the blues

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

A section of voters in the US are opting for a third party candidate in the November 5 Presidential elections.

The third party voters comprise a motley crew of Muslims, Arab-Americans, including Christians and left-leaning persons. They say that the main reason they’re moving away from the Democratic Party is Israel’s year-long assault on the nearly two million people of Gaza, which has left at least 43,000 persons, including 16,000 children dead. Medical journal Lancet says indirect causes like disease could leave at least 1,86,000 dead.

The disaffected electors argue that the assault on Gaza constitutes genocide, a possibility affirmed by the International Court of Justice. Moreover, they reason that it was a genocide that received unfettered support by way of billions of dollars’ worth of arms and ammunition from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party candidate.

Moreover, this camp is also risking the threat posed to them by Donald Trump’s second Presidency, reasoning that they want to punish the Democrats for their complicity in the genocide.

The Green Party’s Presidential candidate Jill Stein and running mate Butch Ware have emerged as the most popular alternative in recent months. At the heart of the discussions, is the possibility that if Stein – an anti-Zionist Jewish candidate – bags five per cent of the vote, it will mean national party recognition and state funding of elections for her outfit, besides other perks.

Most of the voters that are switching to the Green Party usually voted Democrat. Left-leaning voters tended to vote blue in the interest of “harm reduction” as did Muslims. According to Associated Press’ Vote Cast, two-thirds of Muslims voted for Biden in the 2020 Presidential polls. The minority community accounts for 1.34 per cent of the population.

However, a recent survey result by the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) found the assault on Gaza was the top priority for 61 per cent of Muslims in the three swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia. The same survey says that in 2020, 65 per cent of Muslim voters in the three swing states had cast their ballot for Biden.

That number was down to 18 per cent before Biden dropped out in July while those leaning towards third party had swelled to 30 per cent and undecided voters stood at 17 per cent, ISPU noted. Meanwhile, there was a modest increase in potential Trump voters to 22 per cent now, up from 18 per cent in 2020, they added.

Imams sign letter

As many as 76 imams and scholars alongside the Abandon Harris organisation signed a letter endorsing voting for a third party recently. Abandon Harris has gone a step further and endorsed Stein.

“We want to be absolutely clear: don't stay home and skip voting. This year, make a statement by voting third party for the presidential ticket,” the letter read. “The Democratic Party's ongoing refusal to show any intention of reform, even as we witness the greatest catastrophe in modern history, along with the Republican promise to only worsen this evil, leaves us no choice but to take this step,” it said, adding that they repudiated Donald Trump’s bid as well.

Notably, other imams and groups like Emgage have endorsed Harris but the “Gaza vote” camp appears to have the backing of the majority of the community.

 Mayor endorses Trump

In September, the mayor of the Muslim-majority Michigan town of Hamtramck Amer Ghalib formally endorsed Trump. It is to be noted that Ghalib – a Yemeni American – was miffed by the Democrats’ inistence on LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) education in schools in his town. Moreover, a section of Yemeni-Americans are leaning towards Trump because the Biden administration took the armed group Houthis off the US terror list, a policy they oppose.

 UK Labour stand cost them 5 seats

Despite Labour leader Keir Starmer leading his party to a 412 seat majority in Britain back in July, the outfit lost five seats to pro-Palestine independent candidates and was denied a victory in others. This was seen as a section of Muslims expressing their anger over Starmer’s stand on Gaza. The seats Labour lost to independents included Leicester South, Blackburn, Dewsbury and Batley, besides Birmingham Perry Barr.