Michigan Warns Dems Will Help Trump By Not Voting Biden

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said over the weekend that Democrats in Michigan who do not vote for President Joe Biden are inadvertently helping former President Donald Trump become president.

During an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Whitmer warned against calls for Democrats to put in an uncommitted vote in the Michigan Democratic primary on Tuesday.

“One of the tests of what is going to happen in November could come in this primary on Tuesday. And the question is, how deep Democratic divisions are over a lot of issues, the biggest of which I think in your state is the war in Gaza,” she said.

“Some of the leaders, very vocal, respected leaders inside your state, Rashida Tlaib is one of them, they’re pushing Democrats to vote uncommitted on Tuesday, instead of voting for President Biden, in order to send a message and to protest what the president is doing. This is a real serious campaign by people like Rashida Tlaib and others,” she added.

When Whitmer asked how many uncommitted voters the Democrat governor expects from Tuesday’s primary, she admitted that she is not sure of what the outcome might be.

She, however, made the case that it is important for all Democrat voters to cast a vote for Biden.

“I know that we have got this primary, and we will see differences of opinion. I just want to make the case, though, that it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that any vote that’s not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term. A second Trump term would be devastating, not just on fundamental rights, not just on our democracy here at home, but also when it comes to foreign policy,” she stated.

She added, “This was a man who promoted a Muslim ban. This is, I think, a very high-stakes moment. I am encouraging people to cast an affirmative vote for President Biden. I understand the pain that people are feeling. And I will continue to work to build bridges with folks in all of these communities, because they’re all important to me, they’re all important to Michigan, and I know they’re all important to President Biden as well.”

Gov. @gretchenwhitmer tells @DanaBashCNN “I'm not sure what we're going to see on Tuesday” amid a push by some Democrats to vote “uncommitted” in Michigan’s primary to protest President Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/bQF7ugXnOh

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 25, 2024

Whitmer’s concerns are rooted in efforts by progressive groups, including lawmakers like Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), to get Democrat voters to vote uncommitted in the state’s primaries. The effort is some sort of protest against Biden for his refusal to call for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.