Democratic South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn said Thursday it is “concerning” for Democrats that President Joe Biden is losing support amongst Muslim Americans and progressives.
Clyburn first expressed hope that Biden would issue an executive order to curtail illegal immigration at the border by making it illegal to apply for asylum if not at a legal port of entry. The administration is reportedly trying to tie the directive to a threshold.
“On rhe politics, I think immigration is one element, but when you look at the coalition that President Biden put together to win by 7 million votes in 2020, there’s big questions about whether or not that coalition will come back. One of them I think will be tested next week in Michigan, with the Democratic primary there,” host Phil Mattingly said. “How concerned are you about the durability of the opposition to the president by Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and progressives, particularly in a state like Michigan?”
“Well that is a concern,” Clyburn said. “It’s very disconcerting. The fact of the matter is just because you have concerns, doesn’t mean — that you think is not going to work out, so you raised the concerns, you tried to work with people to try to get both sides to reconcile the differences, and that’s what we’re trying to do. This is a very, very sticky issue. We know that. It has been around since biblical days.”
Biden has lost support amongst Muslim Americans, particularly in Michigan, after his administration has expressed support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. White House officials have tried to quell the tempers by visiting Michigan Aran and Muslim communities to discuss policy goals related to the war. (RELATED: ‘Punish Joe’: Biden’s Handling Of Israel-Hamas War Could Cost Him Michigan)
The National Muslim Democratic Council, which includes Democratic Party leaders from swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, promised to withhold support in October from Biden if he did not call for a ceasefire in the war.
Biden won Michigan by roughly 150,000 votes but recent polls suggest he is trailing former President Donald Trump in the state along with other key swing states.