Michigan Turning Point in White House Race

Michigan is considered one of the key battleground states that will decide the elections' result after votes swing between the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

    In addition Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Michigan is a turning point that will determine the winner in the race to the White House.

    After Michigan gained democracy in 1988 and after Clinton took11-point lead last month, Trump was able to prove his critics' mistake and claw his way to the top to compete strongly with Clinton in one of her Democratic strongholds.

    What explains the importance of Michigan is the keenness of both candidates to set up their last rallies in. With more than 500,000 Arabs in Michigan, their vote can play a vital role in the results of the election.

    Michigan State is home to one of the largest concentrations of Arab Americans in US, and this may prompt the candidates to appoint Arab coordinators for their campaigns in the state, such as Clinton's campaign coordinator among Arab Americans Fairuz Saad, Trump's official deputy campaign director in Michigan John Aquri and deputy director of the election campaign in Michigan Zainab Hussein.

    With the approaching elections, Arab activists in the state have reported a massive rise in threats and hate speech directed at the Arabs, which resulted in an unprecedented turnout to vote in the elections.

    Despite the majority support of the Arab community in Michigan to Clinton so far, some tend to favor Trump over Clinton with respect to the benefit of Arab countries, in spite of his remarks against immigrants and Muslims and believe he is more honest and clearer.

    For Arabs, the two candidates did not pay any little interest in Arab issues and the harassment of Arabs at airports and border crossings throughout their campaigns, but Clinton for many is a partner in what their country suffers from war and violence, as American Arabs has not forgotten Clinton's support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003, as well as her statements towards the Palestinian issue and her unlimited support for Israel.

Source: QNA