A battle in Wisconsin
Janan Najeeb wants Wisconsin voters to claim their power.
"We refuse to hold our nose and vote for the better of two evils, because they're both evil," Najeeb told a few hundred supporters gathered in the parking lot of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee on Saturday ahead of the state's Democratic primary next month.
As leader of the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, Najeeb is urging voters to use their power to avoid casting ballots for both Democratic President Joe Biden and likely Republican nominee Donald Trump because of their positions on the Israel-Hamas war. While Vice President Kamala Harris advocated for a cease-fire over the weekend, Najeeb and other Arab-Americans have been frustrated by Biden's hesitancy to support a full stop in fighting. And not voting for Biden doesn't mean an automatic vote for Trump.
Activism among Wisconsin voters comes just a week after Arab-Americans in Michigan spurred an "uncommitted" campaign not to vote for Biden because of his support for Israel. Pressure from voters has been a consequence of the Israel-Hamas war, and campaigns on both sides of the 2024 race are scrambling to save votes in key states like Wisconsin.