2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary explained

Election Name:2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary
Country:Michigan
Type:primary
Ongoing:Yes
Previous Election:2020 Michigan Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2028 Michigan Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:2028
Election Date:February 27, 2024
Elected Members:AL
Votes For Election:140 delegates (117 pledged and 23 unpledged) to the Democratic National Convention
Outgoing Members:NV
Image1:File:Joe Biden presidential portrait (cropped).jpg
Candidate1:Joe Biden
Color1:224192
Home State1:Delaware
Popular Vote1:625,221
Percentage1:81.1%
Delegate Count1:115
Candidate2:Uncommitted
Color2:000000
Home State2:
Popular Vote2:101,623
Percentage2:13.2%
Delegate Count2:2
Map Size:250px

The 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary was held on February 27, 2024, as part of the Democratic Party primaries for the 2024 presidential election. 140 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be allocated to presidential candidates.[1] The contest took place concurrently with its Republican counterpart.

Despite Biden winning in a landslide, he faced a challenge from “uncommitted” in an otherwise generally uncontested primary season.[2] It was the first entity to win delegates outside of Biden that primary season, and won over 100,000 votes.[3] The campaign's performance was attributed to Arab, Muslim, young and progressive voters protesting Biden over his handling of the Israel–Hamas war.[4] The uncommitted vote in Michigan inspired similar protest votes in other states, eventually becoming a national movement.[5]

Candidates

The Michigan Secretary of State identified the following candidates (listed alphabetically) as Democratic Party presidential candidates in 2024:[6]

Williamson suspended her campaign on February 8, following the Nevada primary.[7] However, she was still listed on the ballot, and after finishing ahead of Phillips, she re-entered the race.[8]

Campaign for "uncommitted"

In addition, an 'uncommitted' option appeared on the ballot. Any "uncommitted" delegate awarded to the Democratic National Convention would essentially be an "unpledged" superdelegate and free to support any candidate they chose.[9] Numerous activists and elected officials, including Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and House Representative Rashida Tlaib, campaigned for voters to select the uncommitted option in protest of Biden's handling of the Israel–Hamas war.[10] [11] Some Armenian Americans also suggested voting uncommitted over Biden's actions involving the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.[12]

In response, the advocacy group Democratic Majority for Israel ran ads arguing that voting "uncommitted" would weaken Biden and support Donald Trump.[13] Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer stated that although she acknowledges the "pain" people feel about the war, she still encouraged people to vote for Biden because "any vote that's not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term".[14]

Endorsements

See main article: article.

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Joe
Biden
Robert F.
Kennedy Jr.
Dean
Phillips
Marianne
Williamson
UncommittedUndecided
Emerson College/The Hill[15] February 20–24, 2024406 (LV)74.5%4.8%8.8%11.9%
style=border-right-style:hidden style=border-right-style:hidden February 7, 2024Williamson suspends her candidacy
Monmouth University Polling/The Washington Post[16] December 7–11, 2023460 (LV)79%5%9%6%
style=border-right-style:hidden style=border-right-style:hidden October 27, 2023Phillips declares his candidacy
style=border-right-style:hidden style=border-right-style:hidden October 9, 2023Kennedy withdraws from the primaries
Emerson College[17] August 1–2, 20231,121 (RV)± 2.9%65%11%5%17%
Mitchell Research[18] July 11–13, 2023639 (LV)± 4.0%75%3%4%19%

Results

To win delegates, a candidate must receive over 15% of votes statewide or in any congressional district. "Uncommitted" votes accounted for 17.1% of the votes in the 6th district and 17.3% in the 12th district, winning a delegate each from both districts.

"Uncommitted" won a majority in Dearborn, as well as in the cities of Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights. All three cities have a significant Arab American and Muslim population, which has been seen as a cause of Biden's defeat.[19] [20] Biden performed well in the western part of the city, but suffered a defeat in more heavily Muslim East Dearborn.[21] However, he recorded his strongest result in the 13th precinct in the eastern part of the city, where a retirement community is located.[22]

See also

Notes

Partisan clients

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michigan Democratic Delegation 2024. April 29, 2023 . The Green Papers.
  2. Web site: Michigan primary leaves Dems begging Biden to set foot in the swing state . politico.com . Politico . March 1, 2024.
  3. Web site: 'Uncommitted' wins 2 Democratic delegates in Michigan, a victory for Biden's anti-war opponents . . February 28, 2024 . March 1, 2024.
  4. News: 'Uncommitted' vote in Michigan a warning shot over Biden's support of Israel . . February 28, 2024 . March 1, 2024 . Laughland . Oliver .
  5. Web site: Biden critics look to replicate Michigan's 'uncommitted' vote in other states . . February 29, 2024 . March 9, 2024.
  6. Web site: Secretary Benson releases 2024 presidential primary candidate list. Michigan Secretary of State. November 13, 2023. November 17, 2023.
  7. News: Gibson . Brittany . February 7, 2024 . Marianne Williamson ends her 2024 presidential run . February 7, 2024 . Politico.
  8. Web site: Marianne Williamson says she is 'unsuspending' her longshot presidential campaign . February 28, 2024 . USA TODAY . en-US.
  9. Web site: 'Uncommitted' wins 2 Democratic delegates in Michigan, a victory for Biden's anti-war opponents. February 28, 2024. February 29, 2024. Associated Press. PBS.
  10. Web site: Michigan Democrats, organizers urge 'uncommitted' vote in Feb. 27 primary. February 6, 2024. February 7, 2024. Shalal. Andrea. Reuters.
  11. Web site: Group in Michigan Urges Protest Vote Against Biden Over Israel-Gaza War. February 6, 2024. February 7, 2024. Epstein. Reid. New York Times.
  12. Web site: Why I'm Voting "Uncommitted" in Michigan's Democratic Primary. Hatsakordzian. Dzovinar. February 20, 2024. February 21, 2024. Armenian Weekly.
  13. Web site: AIPAC Ally Slams "Uncommitted" Voters Warning Biden to Change Course on Gaza . February 23, 2024. February 27, 2024. Akela. Lacy. Prem. Thakker. The Intercept.
  14. Web site: Michigan Democrats express skepticism about how their primary will play out amid anti-Biden push over Israel-Hamas war . February 26, 2024. February 27, 2024. Summer. Concepcion. NBC News.
  15. https://emersoncollegepolling.com/michigan-2024-poll-trump-46-biden-44/ Emerson College/The Hill
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/14/trump-leads-gop-field-by-4-1-michigan-post-monmouth-poll-finds/ Monmouth University Polling/The Washington Post
  17. https://emersoncollegepolling.com/michigan-2024-trump-and-biden-on-course-for-tight-rematch/ Emerson College
  18. https://mirs-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/4883-Mitchell-MIRS%20Michigan%20Poll%20Press%20Release%20600AM%207-21-23.pdf Mitchell Research
  19. News: Cappelletti . Joey . Householder . Mike . Michigan's largest Arab American cities reject Biden over his handling of Israel-Hamas war . March 2, 2024 . AP News . February 28, 2024.
  20. News: Hendrickson . Clara . Warikoo . Niraj . 'Uncommitted' trounces Biden in Dearborn presidential primary . March 2, 2024 . Detroit Free Press . February 28, 2024.
  21. News: Neavling . Steve . How some Michigan Muslims united with extremist Republicans against LGBTQ+ rights . March 2, 2024 . Michigan Advance . October 5, 2023.
  22. Web site: Precinct Map.