'Uncommitted' protest vote against Biden in Mich. primary receives over 15% of vote
Michigan is expected to play a decisive role in the head-to-head Nov. 5 US presidential election, a likely rematch between Biden and Trump.
President Joe Biden won Michigan's Democratic Primary Tuesday night in a contest heavily watched for the progressive wing of the party's protest vote against Biden's handling of Israel's war in Gaza.
The Associated Press called the election shortly after 9 p.m. EST. By 9:40 p.m., at least 17% of the votes were calculated.
More than 23,554 people voted "uncommitted," according to the AP.
Biden received more than 126,126 votes.
Donald Trump won the Republican presidential primary in the state by a large margin, Edison Research projected, further strengthening his grip on the party’s White House nomination as Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival, came in a distant second.
Biden vs. "uncommitted"
As ballot counting continues, the margins continue to shrink between Biden's votes and votes for "uncommitted."
Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, remains critical of those casting protest votes.
“Those who voted ‘uncommitted’ in this Michigan primary did so knowing that President Biden would easily win. That will not necessarily be the case the next time he’s on the ballot, when any vote for a third-party candidate, protest position, or non-vote is effectively a vote for Donald Trump," Soifer said in a statement Tuesday night. "We are confident that when faced with the stark choice between President Biden and Donald Trump in the general election, American voters – including Michiganders – will once again choose Biden because they know he is defending democracy and delivering for the American people while Trump poses a grave threat to the future of our democracy, freedom, and values.
Soifer said Jewish voters strongly support Biden's reelection, as do the vast majority of Democrats.
“American Jews understand the clear and present danger posed by Donald Trump, who has not only pledged to be a ‘dictator on day one’ but has also emboldened, incited, and normalized dangerous right-wing extremists who threaten our safety and security, as well as the safety and security of Muslim and Arab Americans," Soifer said. "JDCA stands firmly behind President Biden and will work to mobilize Jewish voters across the country to ensure his reelection, and we encourage all who seek to defeat Donald Trump to join us in the lead-up to November. "
Michigan is expected to play a decisive role in the head-to-head Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, a likely rematch between Biden and Trump.
It is a battleground state that could swing toward either party. Biden beat Trump in Michigan by just 2.8 percentage points in the 2020 election.
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