Last updated on December 23rd, 2024 at 11:50 pm
Ghanim, a Democrat who mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge to a pro-Israel member of Congress earlier this year, said he swiftly turned team Trump down. “I definitely declined,” Ghanim said.
Still, the strange turn of events that left him receiving a call from Trump’s team crystallized his sense that the Harris campaign is botching its outreach to Arab and Muslim voters. (The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) As insincere as Trump’s recent overtures to Muslims may be, Ghanim thinks they could work.
“Even our presence there is not welcome, at the same time Trump is reaching out and going to take pictures with the imams,” Ghanim said.
The incident involving Ghanim was a dramatic illustration of the high stakes and high emotions for Arab and Muslim voters in the final days of the presidential election. Both campaigns are courting the demographic.
In 2020, Arab and Muslim voters helped Joe Biden win Michigan, but many have soured on him thanks to his support for Israel’s war in Gaza. If Harris loses the crucial swing state, some observers say, it may be due to missed opportunities and missteps like the one involving Ghanim
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