Anti-war messaging aimed at President Joe Biden and his reelection campaign is being duplicated in the upcoming Wisconsin Democratic Primary, hoped to mirror success already experienced in Michigan.
Listen to Wisconsin and the Uncommitted National Movement are employing a $250,000 budget towards a promotional push of spurring "uncommitted" votes in the state's April 2 primary, which includes Biden, Representative Dean Phillips (who has since dropped out as a presidential candidate and endorsed Biden), "Uninstructed Delegation," or a write-in name.
The efforts, intended to show disapproval towards the Biden administration's response to claims of genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli soldiers, are mimicking those from the February 27 Democratic primary in Michigan. More than 100,000 Michigan primary voters cast ballots for "uncommitted" in protest, notably in the city of Dearborn—home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.
Natalia Latif, national communications director for the Uncommitted National Movement, told Newsweek via phone on Wednesday that the six figures raised by various grassroots donors is "extremely organic" and will go towards mailers, a digital ad of testimonials, and Meta ads that will circulate between now and next week.
"I think organizations had been tuning in to see what was happening [in Michigan]," Latif said. "Honestly, what we have seen across so many states across the country is a grassroots movement driven by being inspired by each other."
A source with the Joe Biden campaign told Newsweek via email that "uncommitted" efforts are not having as big an impact as described, referencing how such votes received a lower percentage of the vote than 12 years ago (the last time an incumbent Democratic president was on the ballot) in four of the five states that voted on Super Tuesday.
Efforts earlier this month made seemingly no headway, they added, as "uncommitted" didn't win a single delegate in Washington while Georgia's Leave it Blank campaign ("uncommitted" was not a ballot option) led to 2 percent of ballots being undervotes.
"The President believes making your voice heard and participating in our democracy is fundamental to who we are as Americans," campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt told Newsweek. "He shares the goal for an end to the violence and a just, lasting peace in the Middle East. He's working tirelessly to that end."
A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Democratic Party referred Newsweek to the Biden campaign for comment.
Wisconsin and Michigan are seen as some of the pivotal swing states predicted to decide the November election. While Biden's poll numbers dropped for months, he has regained steam in many of those swing states, according to March polls conducted by Morning Consult for Bloomberg.
The incumbent now leads in Wisconsin, having previously been four points behind Trump in the Badger State. Biden and Trump are also now essentially tied in Pennsylvania and Michigan, where the former president was leading in February.
Biden still trails in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina, although by a smaller margin than in previous surveys in February.
The president, who on March 12 surpassed the required threshold of 1,968 delegates, can still win a large chunk of Wisconsin's 95 delegates next week. A candidate must receive 15 percent of the vote statewide or in a particular congressional district to receive delegates, per the statewide party.
Uncommitted National Movement officially launched on March 11, with volunteers consolidating efforts in states like Minnesota, Washington and now Wisconsin.
Current funding was from community members coming together to crowdfund and spark a broader movement, Latif said, many of whom have been personally affected by the military conflict in Gaza. Hamas, a militant group, attacked Israel and took hostages on October 7, 2023.
Donors have included individuals physically visiting stores and printing flyers, she said, with momentum seemingly increasing towards an ultimate ceasefire in the region.
Latif said that movement members—some of whom have been targeted, in her words, by the Muslim ban imposed by the previous Trump administration—are "very well aware of what's at stake."
"This movement is an anti-war movement," she said. "We're gonna keep going until we have a permanent ceasefire, to make sure there isn't weapons funding for Israel's crimes; that we have better mechanisms in place not to use U.S. tax dollars to violate human rights.
"I think you're seeing that shift in the administration. That's been our goal since day one."
Asked how long this movement will last, Latif said they have their sights set on the Democratic National Convention. She said it's difficult to say what satisfaction looks like until a ceasefire is on the table, adding, "We're open and keeping our options open."
Update 03/28/24, 7:27 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from the Biden campaign.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek reporter based in Michigan. His focus is reporting on Ukraine and Russia, along with social ... Read more
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