The lawmaker has said that 'genocide' in Gaza is even worse than Trump
Michigan Democrats tell MSNBC they're threatening to stay home in November
A group of Michigan Democrats who voted for President Biden in 2020 tell MSNBC they are threatening to stay home over his handling of Gaza.
A rising state lawmaker in Michigan, Abraham Aiyash, is one of President Biden's most vocal critics in a state that may be critical in the 2024 election.
Aiyash, who once said Biden has "no spine" because he is not doing enough to push for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, according to Politico, has repeatedly criticized Biden to Michiganders.
"We’re talking about Joe Biden," he said in a speech. "He stood with no spine and did not demand peace for the Palestinians, did not demand peace for the Israelis — but instead, continues to fund a genocide."
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Joe Biden and Michigan State Capitol split image (AP / Getty Images)
The lawmaker has been putting political pressure on Biden in advance of Tuesday's presidential primary and is urging others in his state to do the same.
"Aiyash has signed onto a ‘Listen to Michigan’ campaign, pledging to vote ‘uncommitted’ on Tuesday and urging other Democrats to do the same," Politico reported. "As for the general election, if Biden doesn’t budge, Aiyash said he’s genuinely conflicted about how to vote. He’s considering leaving the top of his ticket blank."
"I’ve encouraged folks to remain uncommitted in the presidential primary to remind every candidate that they have to earn the votes of their constituency," Aiyash told the outlet. "When I run for office, I don’t tell people vote for me because the other guy is worse."
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"So they want Donald Trump?" Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said in December, per Politico. "This is a man who’s called them vermin and has said that he would ban them." (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
A businessman in Dearborn, Michigan, Nasser Beydoun, said that Aiyash "is a respected leader in the community. He’s influential, and people will listen."
"The numbers will show come Feb. 27," Beydoun added, referring to the primary.
Some major Democrats in Michigan have become publicly frustrated because of the division within the party.
"So they want Donald Trump?" Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said in December, per Politico. "This is a man who’s called them vermin and has said that he would ban them."
Aiyash said that it is "very insulting when folks come to Arab and Muslim communities and say, ‘if you don’t support Biden, you are effectively supporting Trump.'"
"It’s disrespectful to communities that were impacted," he said, adding that "[w]e cannot default every time to a state of fear as a way to motivate people," he said.
"You get a sense that [the administration] just can’t believe that people wouldn’t support President Biden over a Trump candidacy," Aiyash said. "But to see our country be complicit in this genocide — that is far worse than Donald Trump."
Jeffrey Clark is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. He has previously served as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History.
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