Persistent Democratic voter Nadeen Bir, a Palestinian-American, has unequivocably declared she won’t back Kamala Harris, unless she pledges to end munition supply to Israel. Bir’s homeland experiences undoubtedly stoke her resolute disposition. Having family still trapped in the conflict-ridden West Bank, her vote isn’t easily won, thereby representing a worrying indication for the Democratic nominee in forthcoming 2024 election.
Bir’s dissension is not singular. Kelly Harris Perin, an affiliate of Mothers for Ceasefire, expressed ‘disappointment’ in Harris. Doubling down, she argued Harris is unlikely to outperform Biden in tackling the strife. Rather worryingly for Harris, Perin’s concerns extend beyond the Middle East to healthcare, gender recognition policies, abortion rights and education.
The collective discontent with Biden and Harris’ ineffective handling of the Israel and Hamas conflict had led to a considerable chunk of voters labeling themselves as ‘uncommitted’ in the last March’s Democratic primary. This considerable dissatisfaction can have a ricochet effect, fundamentally altering the race for presidency.
These uncommitted voters are by no means a tiny minority. In the swing state of North Carolina alone, more than 88,000 voters distanced themselves from a dedicated vote in the primary. This potentially puts the Democratic Party on shaky grounds, considering Trump’s margin over Biden in the state was less than 75,000 in the last election.
The crux of discontent centers around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which has seen rampant disregard for human life and dignity. Initiated when Hamas entered Israel and caused a horrifying loss of over 1,200 lives, leading to an exodus of 250 individuals to Gaza. To this, Israel responded with an overwhelming aerial and ground onslaught, leading to an enormous tally of 41,500+ deaths in Gaza averaging a shocking number of women and children casualties.
Furthering the turbulent atmosphere, Israel has now extended hostilities into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. This radical group began missile assault into Israel last year in favor of Hamas, escalating the region tensions.
Adding fuel to the already raging fire, Biden announced the deployment of 100 soldiers to operate an anti-missile system in Israel. This came concurrently to Biden departing the Presidential run in July, which deflated some of the simmering frustration about his Israel policy. Consequently, this resignation urged those irked by his policies to consider Harris, who has notably failed to distinguish her handling of the issue from her superior.
However, with November drawing nearer, it becomes increasingly apparent that Harris needs to work hard on selling her stand to the masses. The vote diffusion caused by Biden’s policy-echoing performance roots her position under a cloud of confusion, suggesting an uphill battle in garnering sufficient support to claim victory.
Former Representative Andy Levin, a Michigan Democrat, vouched for Harris, despite wholly understanding the challenging picture in front of the VP. However, one cannot overlook the truth that Biden, throughout the tenure since the assault last October, has publically supported Israel, despite insurmountable dissent from within his party. Such a muddled position hardly instills confidence in Democratic leadership amongst the voters.
The uncommitted voter bloc emerged to demonstrate their potent influence in the primary and propel Biden to reformulate the Israel policy. With little to show for success, their purpose remained unfulfilled, until Biden’s withdrawal turned the tables by paving the way for Harris.
Still, Harris’ clear stance on Israel’s right to self-defense hints at a status quo policy, which isn’t persuasive for uncommitted voters. Even refraining from allowing a Palestinian American to speak at the Democratic National Convention, amid protests, denotes an unwillingness to consider viewpoints that challenge established policy.
Uncommitted voter leaders echo Bir in pressurizing Harris to stop arms provision to Israel. Yet, the campaign blatantly refuses to entertain the concept of an arms embargo, underlining the rigidity of Democrats’ stance.
The lack of firm commitment from Democratic leaders like Harris has left murky water for voters as they prepare for the 2024 White House race. Among those hesitant about Harris, over a fifth argue their dissent over her views, followed by over a tenth, attributed to the unresolved Gaza situation.
Furthermore, about 29% of uncommitted voters feel they lack information about Harris. The silver lining in this daunting cloud may be that if Harris manages to convincingly address this information deficit and rethink her stance, there lies potential for her to convert the uncommitted to committed, changing the calculus for the 2024 race.
The pressing reality, however, remains that unless Harris breaks away from parroting Biden’s unpopular policies and sincerely addresses not only the Middle East issue, but healthcare, gender recognition policies, abortion rights and education, she may fall short of rallying the support she needs to claim victory.
The fact remains, this widespread dissatisfaction presents compelling evidence of the Democratic leadership’s dismal handling of vital human issues. Without a significant change in their stance and a more compassionate approach, they risk alienating a significant part of their reliable voting base, thus jeopardizing their political future.