A CNN panelist said Wednesday morning that Michigan voters sent President Joe Biden a “very strong message” Tuesday during the state’s Democratic president primary election.
More than 100,000 Michiganders, or 13.2% of voters, snubbed Biden to vote uncommitted, NBC News reported. Axios congressional reporter Stef Kight told CNN host Kasie Hunt that Michigan voters issued the president a “real warning” by voting “uncommitted” in the state’s Democratic primary election.
“This is definitely a very strong message,” Kight said. “And of course, this was even better than organizers anticipated.”
“This was a big moment, and it goes to show just how important the issue of Israel, and um, Biden’s handling of the situation in Gaza there, how big of an issue that’s going to be,” Kight continued.
“We’ve seen this divide in the Democratic Party, you know, since the attack on Israel and October, and kinda the fallout of of that. We’ve heard again and again from more progressive and younger voters who are upset with the way Biden has wholeheartedly backed Israel, and they want to see a change there,” Kight said. “This is a just a very practical and real warning that this is to be taken seriously.”
Biden has faced backlash from a group of Arab and Muslim American activists encouraging Democratic voters who opposed the president’s support of Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack to vote against Biden in the primary. The “Listen to Michigan” campaign urged voters to select “uncommitted” on their ballot rather than Biden to send the president a message. (RELATED: ‘Squad’ Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib Urges Democrats To ‘Vote Uncommitted’ Against Joe Biden)
Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib was a vocal supporter of the initiative, proudly declaring that she voted “uncommitted” after casting her ballot Tuesday. Biden received 81% of the vote in Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary, according to NBC News.
“This is not something to be brushed off,” Kight told Hunt. “Again, this is an issue that is particularly important in Michigan, so we are looking at something that this state in particular is going to care about more than potentially other swing states come November. But still, Michigan is a very important swing state. Biden needs to win.”