President Biden Faces Backlash as Uncommitted Voters Threaten Super Tuesday Primaries

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ICARO Media Group
Politics
02/03/2024 19h25

In what seems to be a growing voter revolt, President Joe Biden is facing a potential backlash on Super Tuesday, as several states participating in the presidential contests have an "uncommitted" line on their ballot. Activists who successfully launched a campaign in Michigan are now setting their sights on a slew of Super Tuesday primaries, including Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Maine, and Alabama. These states also feature "uncommitted" or write-in slots on their Democratic primary ballots.

Political experts are warning that President Biden may struggle to replicate his 2020 coalition, as discontent among grassroots voters spans across the political spectrum. Notably, black voters, who have historically been a reliable base for the Democratic Party, are among those disaffected.

The movement gained traction in the recent Michigan Democratic primary, where college students and Muslim-Americans joined forces to protest President Biden's support for Israel by voting "uncommitted." The movement garnered significant attention, drawing 13.3% of the total Democratic electorate, amounting to 101,102 votes diverted away from Biden.

Surprisingly, the "uncommitted" option gained support not only in the Muslim stronghold of Wayne County, where 16.8% of voters marked the option, but also in Washtenaw County, home to the University of Michigan, where a higher percentage of 17.2% expressed their disdain for the president.

Left-leaning consultant and former aide to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Corbin Trent, emphasized that uncommitted voters should not be taken for granted, stating that "Biden is a general election threat to Democrats."

While the Biden campaign has taken the Michigan results in stride for now, Mitch Landrieu, the campaign co-chair, acknowledged that the message has been received.

The movement pushing for the uncommitted option is partly driven by Our Revolution, a political nonprofit that emerged from Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Joseph Geevarghese, Executive Director of Our Revolution, applauded Michigan's results and called for Biden to realign with his voter base and reconsider his support for Israel.

The divide within the Democratic Party is fueling the far-left's long-term agenda, says GOP analyst Ryan Girdusky. Girdusky suggests that the goal of the far left is to fundamentally shift Democrats' view of Israel as a whole, even if it comes at the expense of Biden's chances of re-election.

Meanwhile, fresh polling indicates that former President Donald Trump may be solidifying the GOP base, despite ongoing criticism from primary rival Nikki Haley and lingering discontent among suburban voters. A recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll shows Trump leading Biden nationally by a 6-point margin, with 90% of Republicans stating their unwavering support for the former president.

Only 82% of Democrats, on the other hand, plan to stick with Biden, with independents leaning somewhat in favor of the GOP. James Piereson, a political scientist at the Manhattan Institute, notes that Trump now appears to be the consensus candidate, while Biden is viewed as more divisive.

As Super Tuesday approaches, Republican primary contests, closed to non-GOP voters, may prove to be a challenge for Nikki Haley's campaign. With predictions that she may drop out after Super Tuesday, it seems she faces an uphill battle with no viable path forward.

The coming days hold significant implications for both President Biden and the potential contenders in the Republican primary, as voter sentiment and alliances continue to evolve. The consequences of Super Tuesday could shape the trajectory of the 2024 presidential race.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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