Mideast conflict has long pushed Democrats away from Kamala Harris in battleground Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan — Hind Omar, a Palestinian American mother from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She and her husband, Andrew, are longtime Democrats who are disappointed by the party and President Biden.

“We campaigned for Biden,” Omar said. “We showed up for Biden. This experience under his administration was a betrayal.”

Since then 7 October attack More than 43,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza against Israel, where approximately 1,200 people were killed by Hamas militants. Israel’s retaliatory attackAccording to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties.

Watching the ongoing war in Gaza led Hind and her entire family to consider leaving the presidential ballot blank on the ballot.

“While the Democratic Party used to be a soft spot for us, it has now become an aggression against our society,” Hind said.

This is a major vulnerability for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been criticized for her lack of community outreach. His speech in Ann Arbor this week interrupted By a group protesting the war.

“We all want this war to end as soon as possible and for the hostages to be removed,” Harris told the crowd on Monday. he said. “And I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

The Biden administration pushed He also continued his steady support for Israel for a ceasefire in the war and supported Israel in August. approved $20 billion worth of arms sales to the Israeli army.

Inside report In the “60 Minutes” program broadcast last month, Harris said, “Israel has the right to defend itself” and added, “Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. This war must end.”

Four years ago, President Biden won Michigan by just over 150,000 votes. Now, more than 200,000 largely disappointed Arab and Muslim American voters in this battleground state may swing the election to former President Donald Trump, who said Israel “must finish what it started.”

Hind said he was disturbed by the fact that an uncertified vote could lead to Trump’s victory because “this administration would be much worse for our society.”

But he feels betrayed by the Biden administration.

“No one even saw this level of betrayal coming, and so people are coming to terms with it now,” Hind said.

Among those reconciled is Democrat Joshua Feinstein, a Jewish American who has family in Lebanon, where the Hezbollah militant group is based. There was Israel and Hezbollah regularly busy There had been rocket and missile attacks since last year, but the situation escalated further when Israel began attacks in September. start a strike Before starting a journey in Beirut limited ground attack To Lebanon.

“I talk to them every day,” an emotional Feinstein said of her family. “They’re being bombed.”

Israel’s invasion of Lebanon pushed Feinstein to vote for Green Party’s Jill Stein instead of Harris.

“I’m not voting to punish anyone,” Feinstein said. “I’m not protesting. I’m saying my vote is not deserved.”

Now, this powerful group of voters is sending what they call one final message.

“You are not affiliated with us,” Feinstein said. “We will not depend on you.”

Shanelle Kaul

Shanelle Kaul is a CBS News reporter based in New York.