Some anti-Israel voters in swing states are resisting calls to support Vice President Kamala Harris in November, vowing to stay home without a cease-fire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel.
“This is our leverage,” Hannah Zellman, a social worker from Philadelphia told The Washington Post of her protest vote.
Her friend Leah Shepperd, a child-care provider and longtime Democrat, agreed. “This is all we have,” Shepperd said.
The swing state voters are part of the progressive movement putting pressure on the Harris campaign and the Biden administration to withdraw U.S. weapons to Israel and demand a cease-fire in Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Voters in swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin sent a message to President Biden in the primaries by marking “uncommitted” on their ballots to protest his support for Israel. After Harris became the Democratic nominee, Shepperd and Zellman signed a pledge declaring that Harris must bring about a cease-fire to win their votes.
They understand that their boycott votes could help Harris’ opponent, former President Trump, in November. Even so, the liberal voters don’t feel the vice president has done enough to help the people in Gaza either.
“What’s really helping Trump,” Zellman said, “is that this administration is not listening to the voters who support a cease-fire.”
“I do want to vote,” Shepperd said. “But ethically, I’m stuck.”
Harris scolded anti-Israel hecklers during a campaign rally in Michigan on Wednesday after they disrupted her speech.
“You know what, if you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking,” Harris said, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Harris reportedly also spoke to leaders from the uncommitted movement on Wednesday.
According to a New York Times report about the conversation, the leaders of the National Uncommitted Movement stressed their demand that the U.S. place an arms embargo on Israel and also asked for a meeting with the vice president to discuss the demand, to which she expressed openness.
Reports of the meeting quickly sparked fears among supporters of Israel that Harris would entertain an embargo, an idea her national security adviser sought to clarify.
