Democrats ignored the uncommitted movement for Gaza in 2024. Now, it’s winning elections

Key Points:

• Abbas Alawieh co-founded the "uncommitted" movement in 2024, which aimed to pressure the US government to call for a ceasefire in Gaza by encouraging over 700,000 Democrats to vote "uncommitted" in presidential primaries, but faced setbacks when the Democratic party declined to endorse an arms embargo on Israel or feature a Palestinian American speaker at the convention.
• In response to these failures, Alawieh pursued electoral power directly and won the Democratic nomination for a state senate seat in Dearborn, Michigan, exemplifying a broader trend of Arab American candidates linking concerns about Gaza to progressive politics and building winning coalitions in Democratic primaries.
• Michigan’s Arab American community, which grew by 75% from 2010 to 2020 and constitutes about 4% of the state's electorate, showed signs of political realignment in 2024 as many shifted away from the Democratic presidential ticket due to the party’s stance on Gaza, with increased support for third-party candidates and Republican outreach efforts.
• Progressive organizations like the Working Families Party and Emgage Action have played key roles in mobilizing Arab and Muslim American voters by connecting issues related to Gaza with broader progressive concerns such as housing, healthcare, and affordability, contributing to notable primary victories across multiple states.
• The growing political engagement and electoral success of Arab and Muslim Americans signal an emerging power bloc within the Democratic Party, challenging traditional leadership and emphasizing that "Muslim issues are American issues," as activists and candidates work to ensure their communities are recognized and courted by political campaigns.