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Arab-Americans Support for Obama Declined 15 Points Since 2008, But He’ll Still Likely Garner Just Over Half Their Vote

Nov. 5, 2012 4:44pm Tiffany Gabbay

Arab Americans get out the vote. (Photo credit: biyokulule.com)

While some might consider the shared party affiliation irreconcilable, both Arab-Americans and Jewish-Americans historically vote overwhelmingly in favor of Democrats. During the last presidential election, Barack Obama garnered 67 percent of the Arab-American vote and 74 percent of the Jewish American vote, respectively. This election season, however, the president has fallen somewhat out of favor with both demographic contingents, ironically for very different reasons.

Nonetheless, the former community organizer can rest assured that he will still garner just over half of the Arab vote and well over half (most polls indicate at least 60 percent but a more realistic number is likely 68 percent) of the Jewish vote come Tuesday.

According to recent poll conducted by the Arab American Institute, 52 percent of Arab Americans support President Barack Obama’s reelection bid while 16 percent remain undecided. When it boils down to key swing states, those votes (some 100,000 lighter than in 2008) could make all the difference, pushing Mitt Romney over the edge. The Republican only enjoys the backing of a mere 28 percent of Arab-Americans, which is represented in good degree across several swing states like Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Ironically, despite Obama’s chilly relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and despite the debacle at the recent Democratic National Convention in which an amendment was introduced to omit language declaring Jerusalem the capital of the Jewish state, a key gripe among Arab-Americans is its view that the administration “blindly supports” Israel. The fact that Obama will only lose roughly ten percentage-points at most when it comes to the Jewish vote this time around indicates that Jewish Americans likely feel the same way.

Arab Americans also claim to harbor resentment at being “political outcasts” since the 9/11 attack.

“Candidates often resist speaking at Arab-American events,” Safa Rifka, chairman of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee told Al Monitor. “When it comes to our position on foreign policy issues, the candidates don’t want to hear it.”

“I would challenge anyone who says Arab-Americans can’t impact the results in this election — because they can, and they have.” She went on to explain that Arab-Americans’ political strength is manifest in their “dynamism” and “maturity as a political community.”

Obama was propelled to victory in 2008 by turning out an unprecedented number of women and minority votes, including those from Arab, Jewish, Hispanic and African American communities. Coupled with the enthusiasm of the youth vote, the then-fledgling senator from Illinois who represented a new era and face of politics was guaranteed a place in the Oval Office.

Those demographics, however, are simply not as energized as they were four years ago and various polls conducted throughout the course of the campaign has proven as much. What’s more, a number of major strategists have indicated that Obama would need to garner the same level of minority support this time around to secure his reelection — and that is something that the numbers just don’t seem to indicate he will achieve.

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Comments (15)

Pause2consider
Posted on November 6, 2012 at 11:17am
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peachmakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Stop and think before you throw the first stone. There is enough blame in all religions for hate and murder and sin to go around. There is hate in Christianity (think Westboro Baptist) and there is hate in Islam, but there is also the potential for love and understanding and coexistence.

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Jerry Frey
Posted on November 6, 2012 at 12:54am
Mohammed (saw) said: “The whole earth has been shown to me until I saw the east of the east and the west of the west and I saw the authority of Islam ruled all that I saw” [Musnad-Imam Ahmed]

http://napoleonlive.info/did-you-know/beware-islam-in-america/

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Militiaofone
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 9:28pm
We must give Obama a pink slip.

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- Maji
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 10:48pm
  Dmn those are she ugly women! ooofh!
  
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- drs1969
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 11:43pm
  Re: Maji
  Burkas were invented for a reason.
  
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zoro51
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 9:10pm
pure FILTH these MURDERING MUSLUMS ARE.. VILE TERRORISTS.. they DONT MATTER.. thier FILTHY WAYS of MURDER no matter whom or what.. they KILL young old family members.. and others.. THEY ARE NOT WORTH THE TIME OF DAY… ISLAM is a MAN MADE CULT OF HATE N DEATH.. thier false god ALLAH a STONE IDOL.. thier so called prohphet is DEAD N BURRIED IN A GIANT BLACK CUBE… these MUDERING MUSLUMS DONT MATER PERIOD they are FILTH personiified

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- title_of_liberty
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 10:10pm
  Sorry I have to ask, but did you take your meds today? People like you give Christians a bad name. You just made an absurd blanket statement about over a BILLION people. Shame on you. I guarantee that there are many good Muslims just as there are many bad Christians. Are you one of them?
  
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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on November 6, 2012 at 12:04am
  Where does it say they are Muslims? You are aware that there are many Arab Christians, are you?
  
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Individualism
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 8:11pm
maybe many of the Muslims are now realizing Mormons have many similarities they can work together with..

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- Individualism
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 8:25pm
  or maybe Romney and the Saudis have the same relationship Bush had with them, appease them and the zionists.
  
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- 1947
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 8:41pm
  Ok America another one of the OBAMA Commie plans.
  
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- title_of_liberty
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 10:21pm
  Hey Individualism aka Encinom (which is a title to be proud of), how ya doing man? I’ve been looking for ways to make money, and I just wanted to ask you; how much you get paid per post? I’ve been thinking about trolling at Huffpo or nbc. If you could get back soon I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
  ;)
  
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LOJ
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 7:41pm
They are already empowered because their man is in office and they are one step closer to their Islamic Caliphate…ruling the world with their religion.

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schroeder123
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 7:21pm
What the F$$K ?

Who in the hell is running our voting booths ????

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republic2011
Posted on November 5, 2012 at 7:17pm
Take a close look at the women at that table. If Obama wins, you’ll see more women with their heads covered and eventually full burka dress.

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