Trump edges out Harris among Arab Americans as Gaza war sways voters: Survey

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - Former US President Donald Trump has taken a narrow lead over Vice President Kamala Harris among Arab American voters, a key demographic in the presidential race, according to a recent poll.

The Arab News/YouGov poll revealed on Monday that Trump is favored by 45% of Arab Americans, while Harris trails slightly at 43%, just two weeks before Election Day.

This shift in support comes amid rising concerns among the Arab American community over the Joe Biden administration's stance on Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

The poll shows that 29% of Arab Americans view the Israel-Palestine conflict as their top issue, surpassing concerns about the economy (21%) and racism (13%).

Trump is also perceived as more likely to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict, beating Harris 39% to 33% on that question. On broader Middle Eastern issues, the two candidates are tied at 38%.

The results are seen as a warning sign for Democrats, as President Biden’s strong support for Israel may be undermining Harris' chances with a demographic that played a crucial role in Michigan -- one of the pivotal swing states.

Arab American voters are particularly influential in Michigan, home to the largest Arab American population in the US, and Biden's margin of victory in the state in 2020 was just 150,000 votes.

In a direct appeal to Arab American and Muslim voters, Trump emphasized his stance on Middle East peace, writing on the social media platform Truth Social: "If Kamala gets four more years, the Middle East will spend the next four decades going up in flames... Vote Trump for PEACE!"

Despite this outreach, Trump continues to brand himself as the most pro-Israel president in US history.

The poll, which surveyed 500 Arab Americans, carries a margin of error of plus or minus 5.93%.