Michigan, a battleground state that narrowly went for President Biden in the last presidential election, could ultimately help determine the 2024 outcome. And Biden appears to be acknowledging its significance and shifts in the electoral dynamic with a trip to the
Great Lake State on Thursday.
Biden has meetings lined up with union workers following last month’s endorsement from the
United Auto Workers union, which came later than many expected. UAW is one of the nation’s largest labor unions and represents a large voting bloc in a state where the auto manufacturing industry looms large.
Rep.
Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), a Biden ally, outlined in a recent interview with The Hill the delicate dance that Biden must take on to win her state again: Make amends with
Arab American communities that have not agreed with Biden’s stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, court young voters and shore up union support.
“It’s a competitive state, and the Arab American issue is one that’s got to be taken seriously,” Dingell said.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre declined to elaborate on Biden’s intentions behind the Michigan travels, telling reporters that Thursday was an “all political trip.”
Michigan has one of the nation’s largest Arab American populations proportionately, which helped propel Biden to the 2020 win over former President Trump.
On courting union voters, Dingell stressed that the UAW endorsement isn’t enough.
“We got to get into every union hall and make sure the workers themselves understand the contrast,” she said.
Trump holds a 3.5 percent lead over Biden in Michigan based on 22 polls analyzed by The Hill / Decision Desk HQ. As recently as October, Biden had a slight edge over Trump, the polls show.
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