Campaign to vote ‘uncommitted’ in protest of Biden’s support of Israel shows Arab American and young voters’ fury in swing state
Michigan primary 2024: track live results
Alice Herman in Madison, Wisconsin
Alice Herman in Madison, Wisconsin
and Oliver Laughland in Dearborn, Michigan
THE GUARDIAN
Wed 28 Feb 2024 04.40 GMT
Joe Biden has won the Democratic primary in Michigan – but a concerted effort by anti-war activists to vote “uncommitted” in the race could overshadow his win.
The US president faced no real primary challenger in the contest. But a campaign that formed just weeks before the primary to vote “uncommitted” in protest of his continued support for Israel’s war in Gaza signaled the fury and betrayal some Arab American and younger voters in the state feel for Biden.
Michigan primary a test for Biden as key voters turn away over Gaza war
The group pushing for voters to choose “uncommitted” – called Listen to Michigan – set the goal of 10,000 uncommitted votes in the primary. With more than half of the votes tallied Tuesday night, “uncommitted” had received 74,000 votes out of a total of more than 580,000 – almost 13% of the vote.
For context, when the then president, Barack Obama, ran uncontested in the 2012 race, about 21,000 voted “uncommitted” against him in Michigan’s primary, with about 194,000 voting in total - just over 9% of voters.
Trump narrowly won the state by just 11,000 votes in 2016 and organisers of the “uncommitted” effort wanted to show that they have at least the number of votes that were Trump’s margin of victory in 2016, to demonstrate how influential the bloc can be.
Joe Biden has won the Democratic primary in Michigan – but a concerted effort by anti-war activists to vote “uncommitted” in the race could overshadow his win.
The US president faced no real primary challenger in the contest. But a campaign that formed just weeks before the primary to vote “uncommitted” in protest of his continued support for Israel’s war in Gaza signaled the fury and betrayal some Arab American and younger voters in the state feel for Biden.
Michigan primary a test for Biden as key voters turn away over Gaza war
The group pushing for voters to choose “uncommitted” – called Listen to Michigan – set the goal of 10,000 uncommitted votes in the primary. With more than half of the votes tallied Tuesday night, “uncommitted” had received 74,000 votes out of a total of more than 580,000 – almost 13% of the vote.
For context, when the then president, Barack Obama, ran uncontested in the 2012 race, about 21,000 voted “uncommitted” against him in Michigan’s primary, with about 194,000 voting in total - just over 9% of voters.
Trump narrowly won the state by just 11,000 votes in 2016 and organisers of the “uncommitted” effort wanted to show that they have at least the number of votes that were Trump’s margin of victory in 2016, to demonstrate how influential the bloc can be.
People hug at the Listen to Michigan watch party on Tuesday.
Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images
As results came in after polls closed at 8pm, members of the Listen to Michigan campaign gathered at a banquet hall in Dearborn and declared the results a victory for their campaign.. Attendees embraced and celebrated, many wearing the black and white keffiyeh.
Before handing the microphone off to a series of speakers for the campaign, Abbas Alawieh, a Listen to Michigan spokesperson, held a moment’s silence “for every human life that has been taken from us too soon using US taxpayer funds and bombs”.
“Thank you to our local and national progressive organizations and our voters of conscience, who used our democratic process to vote against war, genocide and the destruction of a people and a land,” said Layla Elabed, who launched the campaign in early February.
The former congressman Andy Levin, an early and prominent local supporter of the push to vote “uncommitted”, called the movement “a child of necessity” and said the turnout so far was “a huge victory”
As results came in after polls closed at 8pm, members of the Listen to Michigan campaign gathered at a banquet hall in Dearborn and declared the results a victory for their campaign.. Attendees embraced and celebrated, many wearing the black and white keffiyeh.
Before handing the microphone off to a series of speakers for the campaign, Abbas Alawieh, a Listen to Michigan spokesperson, held a moment’s silence “for every human life that has been taken from us too soon using US taxpayer funds and bombs”.
“Thank you to our local and national progressive organizations and our voters of conscience, who used our democratic process to vote against war, genocide and the destruction of a people and a land,” said Layla Elabed, who launched the campaign in early February.
The former congressman Andy Levin, an early and prominent local supporter of the push to vote “uncommitted”, called the movement “a child of necessity” and said the turnout so far was “a huge victory”
“There is no hope for security and peace for the Jewish people without security and peace and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people,” said Levin, to cheers.
The Listen to Michigan campaign was intended as a warning for Biden to revise his so far unwavering support for Israel’s campaign in Gaza, which has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, ahead of the general election. The campaign is especially significant in Michigan given the state’s large Arab American population, a group that supported Biden strongly in 2020.
But it isn’t clear what share of “uncommitted” voters are prepared to abandon Biden in the general election this November, when he will most likely face Donald Trump – who is campaigning on a pledge to reinstate and expand his Muslim travel ban.
A day before the primary, Biden announced a ceasefire could come as soon as Monday – but both Hamas and Israeli officials denied that negotiations had progressed substantially.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Biden did not address the Listen to Michigan campaign or the growing tally of voters who cast their ballots as “uncommitted”, instead touting his record on labor and warning that Trump is “threatening to drag us even further into the past as he pursues revenge and retribution”.
The Listen to Michigan campaign was intended as a warning for Biden to revise his so far unwavering support for Israel’s campaign in Gaza, which has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, ahead of the general election. The campaign is especially significant in Michigan given the state’s large Arab American population, a group that supported Biden strongly in 2020.
But it isn’t clear what share of “uncommitted” voters are prepared to abandon Biden in the general election this November, when he will most likely face Donald Trump – who is campaigning on a pledge to reinstate and expand his Muslim travel ban.
A day before the primary, Biden announced a ceasefire could come as soon as Monday – but both Hamas and Israeli officials denied that negotiations had progressed substantially.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Biden did not address the Listen to Michigan campaign or the growing tally of voters who cast their ballots as “uncommitted”, instead touting his record on labor and warning that Trump is “threatening to drag us even further into the past as he pursues revenge and retribution”.
Biden wins Michigan primary despite Gaza protest vote
By Brandon Drenon in Dearborn, Michigan
At Salina Intermediate School in Dearborn - across the railroad tracks from a sprawling Ford factory - the BBC spoke to Hala, 32, who said she voted "uncommitted".
She did not "want to vote for Genocide Joe", she explained - alluding to allegations made against the Israeli military during its campaign in Gaza, which Israel strongly denies.
Hala - who declined to share her last name for privacy reasons - said she voted for Mr Biden last time, but was not sure she would do so again when the presidential election came round. "Maybe, if he calls for an immediate ceasefire, but he's not going to do that," she said.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Biden said he hoped there would be a pause in fighting in Gaza by Monday - following reports of some progress in indirect negotiations involving Israeli and Hamas officials.
Other Democrats told the BBC on polling day that they remained supportive of Mr Biden, including Kim Murdough, an office manager at a church in the city of Flint.
By Brandon Drenon in Dearborn, Michigan
& Madeline Halpert
BBC News
Activists celebrated at an event by Listen to Michigan - which urged voters to tick "uncommitted" on their ballot papers
President Joe Biden is projected to win Michigan's Democratic presidential primary comfortably, despite a significant protest vote over his stance towards the war in Gaza.
Activists have spent recent weeks urging Democrats to vote "uncommitted", and tens of thousands chose to do so.
That exceeded many expectations, though the latest CBS News projection suggests Mr Biden won 80% of the vote overall.
He thanked "every Michigander who made their voice heard today".
The US is an ally of Israel, providing it with billions of dollars in military aid. Earlier this month the US vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while proposing a draft of its own, urging a temporary ceasefire.
The US position has angered many, including in Biden's own party, who want the president to take a stronger stance against Israel's military campaign.
In a statement that did not reference the protest vote against him, he hailed the achievements of his administration in the state and launched an attack against his rival Donald Trump.
Mr Trump is also projected to easily win Tuesday's Republican primary in the state, after what he called a "great day". "We're going to win big," he told a campaign celebration event.Trump projected to win Michigan primary over Haley
Results so far from the primary contests - which the US political parties use to select their presidential candidate - indicate that the two men are on course to face off in November's general election, in a rematch of 2020.
Michigan is considered a critical swing state, which picked the winning president in the last two contests. It has the largest proportion of Arab-Americans in the country, but Mr Biden's support for Israel during its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza appears to have cost him support among that demographic.
Activists from the group Listen to Michigan hailed the size of the "uncommitted" vote as a victory. People were in tears at the organisation's watch party as tallies were periodically updated.
Congressman Andy Levin, who supports the "uncommitted" vote, told the crowd: "I take no joy in being here tonight. This moment is a child of necessity because people are dying by the thousands."
Tuesday does not mark the first time a significant portion of Michiganders opted to cast votes as "uncommitted". Around 19,000 residents did so in 2020's primary and more than 21,601 in 2016. In 2008 it was 238,000 - after Barack Obama's campaign encouraged them to do so, because he chose not to be on the ballot due to party squabbles.
But campaigners in Michigan have been organising for months to send Mr Biden a message of "no ceasefire, no vote" over the war in Gaza.
President Joe Biden is projected to win Michigan's Democratic presidential primary comfortably, despite a significant protest vote over his stance towards the war in Gaza.
Activists have spent recent weeks urging Democrats to vote "uncommitted", and tens of thousands chose to do so.
That exceeded many expectations, though the latest CBS News projection suggests Mr Biden won 80% of the vote overall.
He thanked "every Michigander who made their voice heard today".
The US is an ally of Israel, providing it with billions of dollars in military aid. Earlier this month the US vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while proposing a draft of its own, urging a temporary ceasefire.
The US position has angered many, including in Biden's own party, who want the president to take a stronger stance against Israel's military campaign.
In a statement that did not reference the protest vote against him, he hailed the achievements of his administration in the state and launched an attack against his rival Donald Trump.
Mr Trump is also projected to easily win Tuesday's Republican primary in the state, after what he called a "great day". "We're going to win big," he told a campaign celebration event.Trump projected to win Michigan primary over Haley
Results so far from the primary contests - which the US political parties use to select their presidential candidate - indicate that the two men are on course to face off in November's general election, in a rematch of 2020.
Michigan is considered a critical swing state, which picked the winning president in the last two contests. It has the largest proportion of Arab-Americans in the country, but Mr Biden's support for Israel during its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza appears to have cost him support among that demographic.
Activists from the group Listen to Michigan hailed the size of the "uncommitted" vote as a victory. People were in tears at the organisation's watch party as tallies were periodically updated.
Congressman Andy Levin, who supports the "uncommitted" vote, told the crowd: "I take no joy in being here tonight. This moment is a child of necessity because people are dying by the thousands."
Tuesday does not mark the first time a significant portion of Michiganders opted to cast votes as "uncommitted". Around 19,000 residents did so in 2020's primary and more than 21,601 in 2016. In 2008 it was 238,000 - after Barack Obama's campaign encouraged them to do so, because he chose not to be on the ballot due to party squabbles.
But campaigners in Michigan have been organising for months to send Mr Biden a message of "no ceasefire, no vote" over the war in Gaza.
At Salina Intermediate School in Dearborn - across the railroad tracks from a sprawling Ford factory - the BBC spoke to Hala, 32, who said she voted "uncommitted".
She did not "want to vote for Genocide Joe", she explained - alluding to allegations made against the Israeli military during its campaign in Gaza, which Israel strongly denies.
Hala - who declined to share her last name for privacy reasons - said she voted for Mr Biden last time, but was not sure she would do so again when the presidential election came round. "Maybe, if he calls for an immediate ceasefire, but he's not going to do that," she said.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Biden said he hoped there would be a pause in fighting in Gaza by Monday - following reports of some progress in indirect negotiations involving Israeli and Hamas officials.
Other Democrats told the BBC on polling day that they remained supportive of Mr Biden, including Kim Murdough, an office manager at a church in the city of Flint.
Kim Murdough said she was sticking by Mr Biden
"I voted Democrat. I personally don't have an issue with anything that the administration has done," she said.
She added that separate concerns about Mr Biden's age - 81 - were not a deal-breaker for her. "I'd rather have someone in office that forgets a few things than a criminal," she said, referencing Mr Trump, who faces federal and state criminal charges.
Margaret Won voted for Mr Biden, too. She is mostly happy with the work the president has done, though said he had been blocked in some of his aims by Republicans in Congress.
She said she wished the frontrunner presidential candidates were younger and said if Nikki Haley beat Mr Trump to the Republican nomination, she might get her vote.
Ms Haley, however, is yet to win any primary contest against Mr Trump - a trend that continued on Tuesday.
Like dozens of other states, Michigan has open primary elections - which means Democrats, Republicans and independents were all able to cast votes, though they had to ask for a specific party's ballot when casting their vote.
The state's remaining Republican delegates - who must be secured for a candidate to win their party's nomination - will be formally awarded later at a convention this weekend.
"I voted Democrat. I personally don't have an issue with anything that the administration has done," she said.
She added that separate concerns about Mr Biden's age - 81 - were not a deal-breaker for her. "I'd rather have someone in office that forgets a few things than a criminal," she said, referencing Mr Trump, who faces federal and state criminal charges.
Margaret Won voted for Mr Biden, too. She is mostly happy with the work the president has done, though said he had been blocked in some of his aims by Republicans in Congress.
She said she wished the frontrunner presidential candidates were younger and said if Nikki Haley beat Mr Trump to the Republican nomination, she might get her vote.
Ms Haley, however, is yet to win any primary contest against Mr Trump - a trend that continued on Tuesday.
Like dozens of other states, Michigan has open primary elections - which means Democrats, Republicans and independents were all able to cast votes, though they had to ask for a specific party's ballot when casting their vote.
The state's remaining Republican delegates - who must be secured for a candidate to win their party's nomination - will be formally awarded later at a convention this weekend.
Samraa Luqman wants voters to oust the president
During the present conflict between Israel and Hamas, the "uncommitted" movement gained endorsements from at least 39 state and local elected officials, including congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud.
Ms Tlaib's sister was the campaign manager for Listen to Michigan campaign, which aimed to score 10,000 "uncommitted" votes - a number that was exceeded many times over.
Samraa Luqman, an activist with the Abandon Biden campaign, said her goal was to "oust somebody from office for having this many lives lost without calling for a ceasefire".
Another woman, who did not want to be named, told the BBC she had even switched party to Republican over the Middle Eastern conflict.
Senator Gary Peters, from Michigan, told reporters at a meeting arranged by the Biden campaign on Monday that the president understood voters' concerns about Gaza.
However, the White House has been reluctant to row back its support, sending billions of dollars in military aid to Israel and three times blocking a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Instead the US has called for a pause in fighting and defended Israel's right to hunt down the Hamas gunmen who killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October. Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza is nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-led health ministry.
During the present conflict between Israel and Hamas, the "uncommitted" movement gained endorsements from at least 39 state and local elected officials, including congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud.
Ms Tlaib's sister was the campaign manager for Listen to Michigan campaign, which aimed to score 10,000 "uncommitted" votes - a number that was exceeded many times over.
Samraa Luqman, an activist with the Abandon Biden campaign, said her goal was to "oust somebody from office for having this many lives lost without calling for a ceasefire".
Another woman, who did not want to be named, told the BBC she had even switched party to Republican over the Middle Eastern conflict.
Senator Gary Peters, from Michigan, told reporters at a meeting arranged by the Biden campaign on Monday that the president understood voters' concerns about Gaza.
However, the White House has been reluctant to row back its support, sending billions of dollars in military aid to Israel and three times blocking a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Instead the US has called for a pause in fighting and defended Israel's right to hunt down the Hamas gunmen who killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October. Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza is nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-led health ministry.
Young Voters Say Their Discontent Goes Deeper Than Israel and Gaza
“If you’re a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, young voters are an essential part of your coalition,” an independent pollster said, pointing to concerns for Democrats come November.
A polling site at the University of Michigan on Tuesday. Many students across the state were on spring break and not on campus.Credit...Brittany Greeson for The New York Times
By Anjali Huynh
Reporting from across Michigan
Feb. 27, 2024
The energy on Michigan college campuses ahead of the 2022 midterms, students said, was electric.
Armed with promises to protect abortion rights, Democratic candidates held large campus rallies, drawing crowds who came prepared to cheer, rather than protest. On Election Day, students showed up in droves — resulting in the highest youth turnout of any state, helping Democrats take full control of Michigan’s government for the first time in decades.
But before the Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, the energy seems to have morphed into apathy or anger. Young activists have been at the forefront of sustained backlash to President Biden’s staunch support of Israel and its military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Protest of U.S. policy culminated in an effort encouraging residents to vote “uncommitted” to send a message to Mr. Biden in the pivotal general election state.
Interviews with more than two dozen students across the state indicated a deeper well of dissatisfaction, not just with the incumbent president, but with the prospect of once again having to choose between two candidates — Mr. Biden and former President Donald J. Trump — decades older than them.
“It’s been a tense atmosphere on campus,” said Adam Lacasse, a co-chairman of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan. “A lot of people, if they’re not upset with what’s going on, with the administration’s handling of that conflict, they’re turned off from politics because they don’t want to get engaged in it.”
National polls have for months reflected a similar sentiment: Voters under 30, who backed Mr. Biden by more than 20 points in 2020, are unenthusiastic about a rematch between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump, who is heavily favored in the Republican primary on Tuesday.
But for some young people in Michigan and elsewhere, Mr. Biden’s alignment with Israel has presented a new concern. Voters under 30 overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to the conflict in a December New York Times/Siena College poll, saying that Israel hadn’t done enough to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza and that the military campaign should stop.
Many college students in Michigan, regardless of where they stood on the foreign policy issue, described the conflict as nearly inescapable. Campus protests have become commonplace, and coverage of the war has dominated their social media feeds.
Hussein Bazzi, 24, a student at Wayne State University, said he would vote “uncommitted” to send a message to Mr. Biden: “that we want an immediate cease-fire.” Mr. Bazzi supported Mr. Biden in 2020 but is unsure whether he will again in November. “If that doesn’t send a clear message to him,” he said, “then I don’t know what does.”
A poll commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV in January found that 15.6 percent of Michigan voters 18 to 29 had a favorable view of Mr. Biden.
“If you’re a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, young voters are an essential part of your coalition, and that is why the numbers we’re finding in Michigan show Joe Biden really has kind of a perilous path right now,” said Richard Czuba, an independent pollster in Lansing, Mich., who said Mr. Biden’s age was the primary driver of dissatisfaction.
Several Michigan leaders of College Democrats said they were concerned that young people were simply not excited about 2024. Even a small slip in Mr. Biden’s coalition, with voters staying home, could hurt his chances.
Our politics reporters. Times journalists are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. That includes participating in rallies and donating money to a candidate or cause.
“I’m definitely not going to sugarcoat it: I personally am nervous,” said Liam Richichi, the vice president of College Democrats at Michigan State University. He added that students appeared “bored with the prospects that we have.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in the club, and something that we are actively trying to work against is the potential for low voter turnout,” he added, suggesting that the group might emphasize down-ballot races like the Senate election in November.
The Biden campaign deployed a few surrogates to reach young people before Tuesday: Representative Sara Jacobs of California held a discussion at the University of Michigan, and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland led a virtual rally with students.
Alyssa Bradley, the Michigan communications director for the Biden campaign, said Mr. Biden “has taken historic action to support young Americans,” pointing to his passage of climate policy, millions in student loan forgiveness, and his backing of abortion access, which she said was a “stark contrast” from Mr. Trump.
“Our rights, our future and our democracy are on the line this election, and we’ll continue to engage young people to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House, just like we did in 2020,” she said.
But some young people indicated in interviews that they were not aware of the president’s accomplishments on issues they cared about, part of a messaging challenge the campaign has sought to remedy by expanding its digital presence. (Mr. Biden made his first TikTok post this month.)
“I acknowledge the American right to vote, but we also have the right to not do so, especially if you don’t agree with any of the candidates,” said Aiden Duong, a 19-year-old student at Michigan State who is not part of the “uncommitted” effort. He said he did not plan to support Mr. Trump or Mr. Biden in November, citing their ages and what he perceived as inaction on climate change, a key issue for him.
Listen to Michigan, the group of primarily young organizers pushing for the “uncommitted” protest vote, has tried to capitalize on Democratic dissatisfaction by appearing on campuses, but has at times struggled reach that audience. The primary is taking place during a week when many Michigan students are on spring break, and many students still on campus weren’t aware of the election.
Around 100 people eventually showed up to an “uncommitted” rally on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus last week. Organizers encouraged attendees to stand in a large circle to take up more space. A march to the polls organized by Listen to Michigan at Kalamazoo College drew around 15 students on Saturday.
“If you’re a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, young voters are an essential part of your coalition,” an independent pollster said, pointing to concerns for Democrats come November.
A polling site at the University of Michigan on Tuesday. Many students across the state were on spring break and not on campus.Credit...Brittany Greeson for The New York TimesBy Anjali Huynh
Reporting from across Michigan
Feb. 27, 2024
The energy on Michigan college campuses ahead of the 2022 midterms, students said, was electric.
Armed with promises to protect abortion rights, Democratic candidates held large campus rallies, drawing crowds who came prepared to cheer, rather than protest. On Election Day, students showed up in droves — resulting in the highest youth turnout of any state, helping Democrats take full control of Michigan’s government for the first time in decades.
But before the Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, the energy seems to have morphed into apathy or anger. Young activists have been at the forefront of sustained backlash to President Biden’s staunch support of Israel and its military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Protest of U.S. policy culminated in an effort encouraging residents to vote “uncommitted” to send a message to Mr. Biden in the pivotal general election state.
Interviews with more than two dozen students across the state indicated a deeper well of dissatisfaction, not just with the incumbent president, but with the prospect of once again having to choose between two candidates — Mr. Biden and former President Donald J. Trump — decades older than them.
“It’s been a tense atmosphere on campus,” said Adam Lacasse, a co-chairman of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan. “A lot of people, if they’re not upset with what’s going on, with the administration’s handling of that conflict, they’re turned off from politics because they don’t want to get engaged in it.”
National polls have for months reflected a similar sentiment: Voters under 30, who backed Mr. Biden by more than 20 points in 2020, are unenthusiastic about a rematch between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump, who is heavily favored in the Republican primary on Tuesday.
But for some young people in Michigan and elsewhere, Mr. Biden’s alignment with Israel has presented a new concern. Voters under 30 overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to the conflict in a December New York Times/Siena College poll, saying that Israel hadn’t done enough to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza and that the military campaign should stop.
Many college students in Michigan, regardless of where they stood on the foreign policy issue, described the conflict as nearly inescapable. Campus protests have become commonplace, and coverage of the war has dominated their social media feeds.
Hussein Bazzi, 24, a student at Wayne State University, said he would vote “uncommitted” to send a message to Mr. Biden: “that we want an immediate cease-fire.” Mr. Bazzi supported Mr. Biden in 2020 but is unsure whether he will again in November. “If that doesn’t send a clear message to him,” he said, “then I don’t know what does.”
The strength of the “uncommitted” vote in Michigan will be watched for signs of President Biden’s strength for November in a key battleground state.
Credit...Emily Elconin for The New York Times
Mr. Biden is still expected to easily win Tuesday’s primary. But the strength of his opposition will be closely watched as a signal about his support heading into November.
Mr. Biden is still expected to easily win Tuesday’s primary. But the strength of his opposition will be closely watched as a signal about his support heading into November.
A poll commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV in January found that 15.6 percent of Michigan voters 18 to 29 had a favorable view of Mr. Biden.
“If you’re a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, young voters are an essential part of your coalition, and that is why the numbers we’re finding in Michigan show Joe Biden really has kind of a perilous path right now,” said Richard Czuba, an independent pollster in Lansing, Mich., who said Mr. Biden’s age was the primary driver of dissatisfaction.
Several Michigan leaders of College Democrats said they were concerned that young people were simply not excited about 2024. Even a small slip in Mr. Biden’s coalition, with voters staying home, could hurt his chances.
Our politics reporters. Times journalists are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. That includes participating in rallies and donating money to a candidate or cause.
“I’m definitely not going to sugarcoat it: I personally am nervous,” said Liam Richichi, the vice president of College Democrats at Michigan State University. He added that students appeared “bored with the prospects that we have.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in the club, and something that we are actively trying to work against is the potential for low voter turnout,” he added, suggesting that the group might emphasize down-ballot races like the Senate election in November.
The Biden campaign deployed a few surrogates to reach young people before Tuesday: Representative Sara Jacobs of California held a discussion at the University of Michigan, and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland led a virtual rally with students.
Alyssa Bradley, the Michigan communications director for the Biden campaign, said Mr. Biden “has taken historic action to support young Americans,” pointing to his passage of climate policy, millions in student loan forgiveness, and his backing of abortion access, which she said was a “stark contrast” from Mr. Trump.
“Our rights, our future and our democracy are on the line this election, and we’ll continue to engage young people to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House, just like we did in 2020,” she said.
But some young people indicated in interviews that they were not aware of the president’s accomplishments on issues they cared about, part of a messaging challenge the campaign has sought to remedy by expanding its digital presence. (Mr. Biden made his first TikTok post this month.)
“I acknowledge the American right to vote, but we also have the right to not do so, especially if you don’t agree with any of the candidates,” said Aiden Duong, a 19-year-old student at Michigan State who is not part of the “uncommitted” effort. He said he did not plan to support Mr. Trump or Mr. Biden in November, citing their ages and what he perceived as inaction on climate change, a key issue for him.
Listen to Michigan, the group of primarily young organizers pushing for the “uncommitted” protest vote, has tried to capitalize on Democratic dissatisfaction by appearing on campuses, but has at times struggled reach that audience. The primary is taking place during a week when many Michigan students are on spring break, and many students still on campus weren’t aware of the election.
Around 100 people eventually showed up to an “uncommitted” rally on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus last week. Organizers encouraged attendees to stand in a large circle to take up more space. A march to the polls organized by Listen to Michigan at Kalamazoo College drew around 15 students on Saturday.
A rally for “uncommitted” last week in Ann Arbor. Organizers encouraged people to form a larger circle so the protest would take up more space.
Credit...Nick Hagen for The New York Times
Mr. Biden said on Monday that he was hopeful for a cease-fire within the next week. But some students supporting the effort say that nothing will change their mind on Mr. Biden. Salma Hamamy, a student at the University of Michigan who has organized pro-Palestinian protests there, said that despite supporting Mr. Biden in 2020, she would not do so again.
“For me, he is beyond redemption — he has lost my vote because voting for him is basically me saying that I am OK with his actions,” said Ms. Hamamy, 22. “If that means Trump is elected, I blame the Democratic Party for allowing that to happen.”
Students backing Mr. Biden, however, argue that even as their peers remain skeptical, closely comparing the two candidates will be enough to win over young people as November draws nearer.
Immaculata James, a co-chair of the College Democrats at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., pointed to the Biden administration’s work in areas such as college debt relief and health care costs in encouraging students to ask, “Even though it’s not a very exciting election, at the end of the day, what’s your future like under Trump versus under Biden?”
Donovan Greene, a senior at Kalamazoo College who attended the Listen to Michigan walk to the polls, said she supported Mr. Biden in 2020, calling him the “lesser of two evils,” but was voting “uncommitted” in the primary because of his Israel policy.
But Ms. Greene said that in her “last desperate moments,” she would consider backing him again in November, saying, “The changes that happened in the U.S. socially and economically under Donald Trump’s presidency were unequivocally what I don’t want to see.”
Anjali Huynh, a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class based in New York, covers national politics, the 2024 presidential campaign and other elections.
Mr. Biden said on Monday that he was hopeful for a cease-fire within the next week. But some students supporting the effort say that nothing will change their mind on Mr. Biden. Salma Hamamy, a student at the University of Michigan who has organized pro-Palestinian protests there, said that despite supporting Mr. Biden in 2020, she would not do so again.
“For me, he is beyond redemption — he has lost my vote because voting for him is basically me saying that I am OK with his actions,” said Ms. Hamamy, 22. “If that means Trump is elected, I blame the Democratic Party for allowing that to happen.”
Students backing Mr. Biden, however, argue that even as their peers remain skeptical, closely comparing the two candidates will be enough to win over young people as November draws nearer.
Immaculata James, a co-chair of the College Democrats at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., pointed to the Biden administration’s work in areas such as college debt relief and health care costs in encouraging students to ask, “Even though it’s not a very exciting election, at the end of the day, what’s your future like under Trump versus under Biden?”
Donovan Greene, a senior at Kalamazoo College who attended the Listen to Michigan walk to the polls, said she supported Mr. Biden in 2020, calling him the “lesser of two evils,” but was voting “uncommitted” in the primary because of his Israel policy.
But Ms. Greene said that in her “last desperate moments,” she would consider backing him again in November, saying, “The changes that happened in the U.S. socially and economically under Donald Trump’s presidency were unequivocally what I don’t want to see.”
Anjali Huynh, a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class based in New York, covers national politics, the 2024 presidential campaign and other elections.
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