Author: Rowaida Abdelaziz
Affiliation: HuffPost
Organization/Publisher: HuffPost
Date/Place: 03/04/2020, U.S.
Type of Literature: Analysis
Word Count: 1087
Link: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-presidential-campaign-muslim-outreach_n_5e602f34c5b6bd126b7543ce
Keywords: Bernie Sanders, US Presidential Primary, Elections 2020, Democrats, Muslims
Brief:
In this article, the author scrutinizes the attention given by candidates running for the US Presidential Elections towards American Muslim Voters and illustrates how Bernie Sanders outreach has been the most engaging thus far. By comparing the attitudes of seven candidates notably former vice president Joe Biden, and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, the author draws the conclusion that more democratic nominees are actively seeking to involve Muslim communities in US to vote in 2020. This is in contrast to the previous presidential candidates who did more so as an afterthought or in the wake of grave threat to Muslim communities. This attitude has strengthened Bernie’s popularity within the Muslim community even more because he has been a staunch, unwavering supporter of minorities whilst also setting forth inclusive domestic policies. The author argues that the reason for the newfound increase in attentiveness towards Muslims is due to the appeal of donations as they already contribute significantly towards charitable giving. In addition, Trump’s presidency has magnified political participation of Muslims especially in crucial states like Michigan, Florida, Ohio and Virginia. Keeping this in mind, Muslims are aware of their political weight, and the politicians’ avid interest in wooing them which is why they are skeptical of those nominees who are just speaking up in their favor while having problematic policies or staff members. Bernie Sanders support towards Somali-American Ilhan Omar, his appointment of a Pakistani-American as his campaign manager, and the endorsement by Iranian-American Yasmine P. Taeb all go to show how deeply he is being supported by America’s Muslim community.
By: Sahar Sadiq, CIGA Research Intern