Green Party nominee Jill Stein has been recruiting Palestinian Americans to be her vice presidential running mate as the left-wing presidential candidate looks to exploit the community’s frustrations with Democrats’ support for Israel during its war in Gaza.
Two potential candidates told NBC News Friday they had multiple conversations with Stein about the job. A spokesperson for a third potential candidate, the Democratic mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, confirmed Stein asked him if he was willing to be considered for the job — before realizing Hammoud is too young to be constitutionally eligible.
Stein is planning to announce her running mate next Friday. It’s unclear whom she has chosen or if she has made her decision yet. The Stein campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“It’s an honor to be considered for the position and something that I strongly considered and weighed heavily,” said Abed Ayoub, the executive director of the Washington-based American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which calls itself as the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S. “She’s looking for someone that really understands and expresses what our community is feeling.”
Arab and Muslim voters have typically voted Democratic. But President Joe Biden’s steadfast support for Israel turned off many Arab and Muslim voters, who comprise sizable portions of several battleground states, especially Michigan.
“It’s not that Jill Stein is coming in to, quote un-quote, steal votes. She’s coming in to earn votes,” Ayoub said. “Is it the politically smart thing to do? Obviously.”
Ayoub, who said he had “multiple conversations” with Stein about joining her ticket, said her outreach showed the growing power of the community, which has become more politically organized in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians and the Israeli military response that followed.
Vice President Kamala Harris is hoping to win many of them back and has taken a tougher rhetorical line on Israel, but her policies towards Israel appear to be largely the same as Biden’s so far.
The ADC released a poll of its members late last month that found Stein in the lead with 45% support, while Harris had the support of just 27% of members — which marked an improvement from the mere 7% backing Biden had in a May survey.
Ayoub praised Harris’ choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has a good relationship with Muslim and Arab voters in his state, as the Democratic vice presidential nominee. But Ayoub said he is far from sold.
“He was the right choice and it leaves a little crack in the door for engagement, but it will take a lot more work,” he said.
Meanwhile, Amer Zahr, a Palestinian American comedian and activist, said he also spoke with Stein about joining her ticket — and is committed to voting for her despite the newly remade Democratic ticket.
“I am honored by the consideration and I think it’s important that the Stein campaign is making that kind of direct outreach to Palestinian Americans and Arab Americans, especially in Michigan,” Zahr said. “It shows that, unlike the Harris campaign, she is serious about addressing the core issues in this campaign.”
Zahr said he was initially open to Harris, but soured on her after she “really disrespectfully” shut down pro-Palestinian protesters who interrupted her at a recent event, as well as when Harris, through an aide, made it clear she will not support an arms embargo on Israel.
“She could have said, ‘I hear you, we’re going to address this, and if you want it to get better, elect me instead of Donald Trump,’” Zahr said. “But instead she suggested we want to help get Trump elected…as if we owe her something and she doesn’t owe us.”
Democrats worry that third-party efforts like Stein’s will help re-elect Trump by splitting the votes of people who dislike the former president.
Stein and fellow left-wing third-party candidate Cornel West, the famous professor and civil rights activist, have been actively courting Muslim and Arab votes, as well as young progressives who have joined pro-Palestinian protests.
Both are scheduled to attend the National Arab-American Convention in Dearborn in September.
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