In a surprising move that could shake up Michigan’s voter base, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud has announced he won’t be endorsing any candidate in the 2024 presidential race. Representing the city with America’s highest population of Arab and Muslim-Americans, Hammoud, a Democrat, has called on residents to “vote their moral conscience.” His stance reflects widespread frustration among Dearborn’s citizens over the Biden administration’s support for Israel amid escalating conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
“When you get to the top of the ticket, what I am advocating for is that you vote your moral conscience, and for each individual that’s going to mean something different,” Hammoud told The Hill. “But I am leaving it up to them.”
The comment comes amid intensifying U.S. involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has created a stark divide among voters. Hammoud’s own frustrations are personal: he lost a family member in Lebanon, a paramedic who died in recent cross-border skirmishes. Hammoud voiced anger at what he views as the administration’s indifference, criticizing a “blindly backed” financial and military aid policy that’s only intensified the regional crisis.
“To many, these are the faces of strangers from villages with names they’ve never heard of. To us here in Dearborn, these are our friends and our family,” he stated.
A Divided Community and a Political Crossroads
Dearborn’s citizens share Hammoud’s concerns, but reactions vary on how to translate them into political action. According to Iman Beydoun El-Sayed, a local deli owner raising donations for Lebanese relief efforts, neither major-party candidate has earned her support. “The fact that no candidate is speaking of a ceasefire or an arms embargo is pretty disheartening,” she said, noting she’s likely to back Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
Other community members echo the disappointment with Biden’s Middle East policies. During Michigan’s Democratic primary in February, Hammoud made headlines when he voted for an “uncommitted” option rather than support President Biden, and many other Michigan Arab-Americans followed suit. In Dearborn alone, 6,400 voters selected “uncommitted,” sending a clear message of dissatisfaction with Washington’s foreign policy.
Loss of Support Could Undermine Democrat Stronghold
In 2020, Wayne County, which includes Detroit and Dearborn, was pivotal to Biden’s victory in Michigan, a crucial battleground state. Biden’s margin of victory was slim, with just 154,000 more votes than Donald Trump statewide. Wayne County went overwhelmingly blue, but the Arab-American vote could shift, making Democratic campaigners nervous as they eye the November 5 election.
Dearborn’s younger voters are also expressing discontent with the current administration, many aligning with pro-Palestinian sympathies and disheartened by what they see as a failure to stand against Israel’s “ethnic cleansing.” This frustration is not only prevalent among Arab-Americans but has also reached non-Arab youth groups, intensifying challenges for Democratic unity.
Activists Push Back, but Some See No Alternative
Some local Democratic figures, however, are cautioning against abandoning the party. Longtime activist Ismael Ahmed argued in the Detroit Free Press that “there is no choice but to vote for Kamala Harris” given Trump’s track record. “Kamala Harris is calling for a ceasefire and a two-state solution,” Ahmed contended, while contrasting Trump’s refusal to recognize the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Yet, even among those who share Ahmed’s views, enthusiasm is low. Community leader Micho Assi, a staunch Democratic advocate, says this year feels different. “Normally, I would be mobilizing and knocking doors and trying to get out the vote. Right now, I cannot do the same,” she admitted. For voters in Dearborn, especially those with family ties to affected regions, the prevailing sentiment seems to be one of disillusionment.
Impact on the Election: What’s at Stake?
Dearborn’s shift could hold profound consequences for Democrats as the tight race in Michigan heats up. In 2020, Biden benefitted from a 10 percent higher turnout in Dearborn compared to the 2016 election, an edge that Democrats are not assured of this year. With a substantial chunk of voters from Hammoud’s city leaning away from Democratic support, Michigan’s electoral outcome could be in jeopardy, potentially reshaping the entire race.
For Mayor Hammoud, the message remains clear: “Vote your moral conscience.” The next question, of course, is what those moral choices mean for Dearborn voters—and how their choices will shape the future of American politics.
