In Pennsylvania, a critical swing state won by President Biden by a slim margin of just over 80,000 votes in 2020, Vice President Kamala Harris faces challenges over voter concerns about the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of Gaza.
The consideration of Governor Josh Shapiro, who has been vocal in his support of Israel’s military actions and has controversially labeled pro-Palestine speech as “hate speech,” as her running mate has alarmed pro-Palestine advocates. This choice could jeopardize Harris’s electoral prospects further by alienating voters.
Pressure is mounting on Harris to call for a permanent ceasefire, as voters also express grave concerns about her stance on Israel which oscillates between tacit approval to direct backing.
The potential selection of Shapiro as a vice-presidential candidate is stirring significant debate within the Muslim and Arab-American community. Despite widespread opposition from both communities to Shapiro, Salima Suswell, senior advisor to Emgage, a Muslim-American advocacy organization, and founder and chief executive of the Black Muslim Leadership Council (BMLC), endorsed him in a statement posted to Facebook. Suswell’s positive portrayal of Shapiro against the backdrop of over possibly 186,000 dead Palestinians, is particularly jarring for many Muslims in the base who figures like Suswell claim to advocate for and on behalf of.
Poster Comment:
There are 850,000 Muslims living near the Chicago DNC convention site. This will be worse than the 1968 convention riots for the Democrats.