Trump wins Dearborn amid anger over Gaza and Lebanon; Jill Stein receives 18% of vote

Donald Trump won Dearborn and made significant gains in Hamtramck compared to 2020 amid anger in Arab American and Muslim communities about deaths in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen. The two cities, which have the highest percentage of Arab Americans among all cities in the United States, were courted by Trump and his campaign as the former president visited both places in recent weeks.

In Dearborn, where 55% of the residents are of Middle Eastern descent, Trump won with 42.48% of the vote over Vice President Kamala Harris, who received 36.26%, according to results, with 100% of precincts counted, provided to the Free Press from City Clerk George Darany. Jill Stein received 18.37% of the vote. Voter turnout in Dearborn was smaller compared to 2020.

Trump also won in Dearborn Heights, where 39% of the residents are of Middle Eastern descent, defeating Harris 44% to 38.3%, with Stein at 15.1%.

In the November 2020 election, Biden received 68.8% in Dearborn while Trump received 29.9%. Muslim voters interviewed Tuesday at polling sites said they were disappointed with the Biden administration's support for Israel's attacks and also preferred Trump's views on economics.

"We have to fix our problems here in America," Nagi Almudhegi, of Dearborn, said outside Salina Intermediate School. "If you're a parent, you want to take care of your family. You want to take care of your children first, before you go and take care of your neighbors and somebody overseas or abroad. It's just logical common sense. ... The leaders of the United States have to take care of the citizens of the United States. Why are we worried about every single problem in the world when we have so many systemic issues here in the U.S.?"

In Dearborn, where Lebanese Americans make up the largest group among its Arab population, there has been outrage in recent weeks over Israel's attacks in Lebanon that have led to deaths and displacement affecting many families in Dearborn. Mosques were packed in recent weeks in Dearborn with memorials for the dead.

More: Trump, Harris vie for Arab American, Muslim votes in Michigan as Yemenis gain spotlight

In November 2020, Biden crushed Trump with 88% of the vote in the two precincts in the south end of Dearborn, the area Almudhegi was speaking from Tuesday. Trump only got 10.6% there in 2020, but was expected to win that area in yesterday's election, according to precinct results of election day voting. The anger towards the Democrats was already seen in the February presidential primary, when Biden received only 4% of the vote in the south end while 'Uncommitted' got 91% of the vote.

Trump visited a halal cafe in Dearborn on Friday, meeting with Arab Americans and vowing to bring peace of the Middle East. The former president visited Hamtramck on Oct. 18 to rally with Arab Americans after Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib had endorsed him.

In Hamtramck, Trump also had a substantial increase in support, but Harris won the working-class city that has the highest percentage of immigrants among cities in Michigan. In November 2020, Biden won Hamtramck, winning with 85.4% of the vote over Trump, who only got 13.4%.

With 100% of the vote counted, Harris got 46.2% in Tuesday's election in Hamtramck, a significant decrease from Biden's 85% four years ago, while Trump got 42.7% and Jill Stein was at 8.96%, according to results provided to the Free Press by City Clerk Rana Faraj.

Mohammed Alam has been a loyal Democrat for decades and active in the party, but said he voted for Trump because the "Biden Harris administration failed to take any prompt action" to stop Israel's attacks against Palestinians. Alam, an immigrant from Bangladesh who spoke Tuesday at Hamtramck High School, said he was also disappointed with Biden's policies in Bangladesh, where its political leader, Sheikh Hasina, was forced out in August.

Asm "Kamal" Rahman, of Hamtramck, is a Democrat but voted for Trump because of tax and economic issues, saying he will help manufacturing and workers in Hamtramck. He's also upset over deaths in Gaza.

"The Muslim community is united in principle against the Biden Harris administration, especially for the genocide," he said.

More: Trump meets Arab Americans in Dearborn, vows to bring peace in Middle East

Ghalib had strongly urged his followers to support Trump, writing in a statement Tuesday: "Whoever loves, supports, and trusts our leadership, vote Trump. Please go out and vote, it’s an opportunity for our community to advance to the top. Don’t lose this opportunity. If you trust my leadership, please vote for Trump."

But three members of the Hamtramck city council, including Councilman Mohammed Hassan, came out in support of Harris, holding a car rally and gathering in support of Harris on Oct. 26, the same day Trump held a rally in Novi in which he brought out Muslim leaders on stage with him. The overthrow this summer of Prime Minister Hasina in Bangladesh, who was often criticized by Biden officials, also may have played a role in helping Harris eke out a victory in Hamtramck. Hassan, an immigrant from Bangladesh, and some other Bangladeshi American voters had opposed Hasina. The Biden administration strongly supported the new government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus that opposed Hasina. Another city councilman of Bangladeshi descent, Abu Musa, supported Hasina and endorsed Trump.

The three mayors with the highest percentage of Arab Americans — Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck — did not endorse Harris. Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud did not endorse any candidate, Ghalib backed Trump and Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi endorsed Trump, appearing on stage with him in Novi. Ghalib and Bazzi spoke at Trump's last campaign rally Monday night in Grand Rapids.

In Dearborn, there was frustration with the Democrats before the war in Gaza, as protesters demonstrated against some LGBTQ+ books in public schools they saw too explicit, resulting in Democrats losing support in heavily-Muslim precincts in Dearborn in November 2022.

While Trump won Dearborn, Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, lost to U.S. Rep Elissa Slotkin, the Democratic nominee. Slotkin received 41% of the vote, Rogers, 39% and Douglas Marsh of the Green Party got 15%.

Contact Niraj Warikoo:[email protected] or X @nwarikoo

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump wins Dearborn, makes gains in Hamtramck amid anger over Gaza