Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz reiterated his support for multiculturalism and religious beliefs on Thursday, October 3rd. He stated that regardless of people’s religious backgrounds, everyone should have equal standing and rights in politics and society. He pledged that if elected, Arab Americans will have equal opportunities in a Harris administration.
Harris met with US National Security Advisor Phil Gordon and American Muslim and Arab leaders on October 2nd. She pledged to continue supporting Israel and reiterated the White House’s stance on promoting a ceasefire. Subsequently, Walz reaffirmed Harris’s Middle East positions on Thursday, emphasizing that if elected, he would invite Muslims to be part of a Harris administration.
Speaking at an online conference organized by the American Muslim group Emgage Action, Walz mentioned that both he and Harris have stated that if elected, they will “continue to condemn all anti-Islamic and anti-Arab sentiments incited by Donald Trump. More importantly, we promise that Muslims will be involved in this administration standing side by side.”
Walz stated that Harris is working tirelessly to “end the crisis in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, allowing the Palestinian people to obtain dignity, freedom, and the right to self-determination.”
Despite the public support of Harris by the Muslim group Emgage, the continued support of Israel by the Biden administration has led to the majority of Muslim groups urging supporters not to vote for Harris. The opposition to Harris by Muslim groups became more apparent after the Democratic Party refused to invite a Palestinian speaker to the August convention.
Although Muslim groups have not supported the Republican candidate Trump, some groups have decided to support the Green Party candidate Jill Stein, believing that Harris and Walz have not presented a substantive stance on Israeli policy that differs significantly from Biden.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, although the Muslim population in the United States is only about 3.5 million people, they have a relatively high voter turnout and significant political influence, which is making both parties increasingly pay attention to this community.
Analysis suggests that Michigan, one of the Rust Belt’s swing states, with its 200,000 Arab American voters, is the state with the highest concentration of Muslim population, and they are likely to determine the outcome of the election. Additionally, other critical swing states with substantial Muslim voters include Minnesota, Georgia, and Arizona.
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