Rashida Tlaib declines to endorse Kamala Harris for US presidency

US congresswoman Rashida Tlaib declined to endorse Democratic Party presidential candidate Kamala Harris at a United Auto Workers union rally in Detroit on Friday.

The Palestinian-American representative urged workers to get out and vote, but stopped short of endorsing the vice president.

"Don't underestimate the power you all have," Tlaib was quoted by Detroit News as saying. "More than those ads, those lawn signs, those billboards, you all have more power to turn out people that understand we've got to fight back against corporate greed in our country."

Earlier on Friday, the lawmaker took to X to slam both Republican candidate Donald Trump and her own party for its stance on Israel's war on Gaza.

"Trump is a proud Islamophobe + serial liar who doesn't stand for peace," Tlaib said. "The reality is that the Biden admin’s unconditional support for genocide is what got us here. This should be a wake-up call for those who continue to support genocide. This election didn't have to be close."

Tlaib has been critical of the Biden administration's support for Israel's war on Gaza, where at least 43,314 Palestinians have been killed and over 100,000 wounded since October 2023. Washington has reaffirmed its "ironclad" support for  Israel amid the onslaught and has supplied weapons and financial aid to Tel Aviv.

The Biden administration's apparent unwillingness to restrain Israel has caused a fissure among progressive voters, including Arab and Muslim Democrat voters.

A poll released earlier this week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) revealed that Harris and Green Party Candidate Jill Stein were neck-and-neck among Muslim voters, with 42% favouring Stein and 41% preferring Harris.

Tlaib's home state of Michigan is considered to be a key battleground state, and is home to the country's largest Arab population.

On the campaign trail, Harris' speeches have been frequently interrupted by protesters demanding an end to the war on Gaza. The vice president has received backlash for appearing to dismiss these concerns.

Harris has said she would work for a ceasefire, however has resisted calls for an arms embargo on Israel.

Meanwhile, Tlaib's fellow progressive Democrats and 'Squad' members Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have endorsed Harris, despite criticisms of the Biden administration's handling of the Gaza war.