Over 500,000 Democratic Voters Have Cast Primary Protest Votes Against Biden
There are clear indicators that large swathes of prior Biden voters don't intend to vote for him this next time around versus Trump. The latest example is that the "uncommitted" campaign is gaining steam, having garnered the support of more than a half-million Democrat voters.
The initiative organized by dissident Democrats outraged over President Biden's handling of the Israel-Gaza war has sent a powerful shot across the bow of his presidential campaign, and the movement didn't even exist at the start of the 2024 primary season. Yet The Nation says that so far in total 530,502 people have voted "uncommitted" or "uninstructed" where it’s available on the ballot.
The initiative was first implemented in the key swing state of Michigan, resulting in over 100,000 people there registering their vote as "uncommitted". The state has a huge Arab and Muslim demographic.
The Nation has documented that the movement is spreading fast, and it should be a huge worry for Biden campaign strategists:
The campaign has won enough votes to secure Democratic National Convention delegates from Minnesota (14), Hawaii (7), Michigan (2), and, according to local news reports, Washington (2). And notable levels of support for the effort in must-win battleground states such as Wisconsin signal that the president’s campaign cannot neglect the fact that a substantial portion of the base that must be mobilized this fall is crying out for the United States to back an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza, where Israel’s assault has cost more than 33,000 lives.
According to more from AntiWar.com, which has been closely following the movement:
Last week, 48,091 votes were cast for “uninstructed” in the Wisconsin primary. The turnout far exceeded organizers’ expectations, as their goal was to secure 20,682, the margin of victory for Biden in Wisconsin for the 2020 election.
The opposition to Biden was strongest in the area of Wisconsin where University of Wisconsin–Madison students reside, historically a Democratic stronghold. In that area, 30% of voters cast ballots for “uncommitted,” something Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) called “a big, f**king deal.”
Meanwhile, there's also been an intensifying divide among Democrats over whether to halt defense aid to Israel, a debate which only intensified in the wake of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza, which left seven international workers dead, including an American.
Vote Uncommitted EVERYWHERE. This President is clearly not getting the message. https://t.co/pSvy56ho3g
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) April 1, 2024
This increased fragmentation of Biden's base has been on display in recent days too, given former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - still very influential among Dems - has publicly come out against Biden's policy to continue arming Israel. The issue is entering the heart of the Democratic establishment, threatening unity.
Axios reported that she "signed onto a call by progressive members of Congress for the U.S. to stop transferring weapons to Israel over a strike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza."
