A Minnesota Muslim Democratic delegate told Politico Tuesday that her party’s presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, cannot win the White House without appeasing anti-Israel voters and promising an arms embargo on Israel.
"If we do not have a ceasefire and arms embargo promise from Vice President Harris, come November, I am sure that we will lose," Minnesota delegate Asma Mohammed told Politico.
Mohammed is one of 30 "uncommitted" delegates expected to be at the Democratic National Convention next week who represent a Democratic voter coalition upset over President Joe Biden’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas terrorists. The coalition is pressuring Harris to demand a ceasefire in the region and suspend military aid to Israel, the United States’ top ally.
"We cannot win against Donald Trump if we don’t have all the uncommitted voters and all the people who are truly on the fence right now," Mohammed said.
Since Harris launched her bid for the White House, she has leaned into her party’s progressive left wing, positioning herself as even more critical of Israel than Biden. Last week, her national security adviser had to walk back the vice president's statement to leaders of a Michigan anti-Israel group that she is open to discussing an arms embargo on the Jewish State.
Mohammed, a lead organizer for Uncommitted Minnesota, was particularly excited that Harris tapped her state’s governor, Tim Walz, to run for vice president, saying "it’s possible" that her coalition can work through Walz to get to Harris.
"We’re really relieved that [Pennsylvania Gov. Josh] Shapiro wasn’t the pick. He’s a former [Israel Defense Forces] volunteer," Mohammed said. "I’ve worked with Gov. Walz to pass some really good legislation. So to me Walz is a movable target. I think that we can elicit some more wins from him."
In Minnesota’s Democratic primary, more than 40,000 Minnesotan voters cast protest ballots against Biden, sending 11 "uncommitted" delegates from the state to the convention. Walz praised the "uncommitted" members as "civically engaged" following the primary election. Walz also called the Israel-Hamas war "intolerable."