HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Hamtramck mayor Amer Ghalib, who oversees the 28,000 Muslim-majority city, has endorsed former President Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election.

The announcement may have come and gone in a 24-hour news cycle without much fanfare. However, this isn’t just any politician endorsing Trump. Ghalib is a Democrat of Yemeni descent. Hamtramck, an Arab enclave near Detroit, elected him with a 68% of the vote in 2021. Many political pundits have argued for years that Michigan doesn’t elect the president without the Detroit area vote. With Ghalib’s support of Trump, the Harris campaign is likely up for an uphill climb.

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Mayor Ghalib explained his endorsement on his personal Facebook page. (His name is spelled differently in that account in contrast to his professional mayor account.) Ghalib said he doesn’t agree with Trump on everything but said “he is a man of principles.”

The Harris-Walz campaign is in a sticky situation. Pro-Palestinian protestors have demanded allegiance from the Democratic camp. They have yet to give it. On the other side, many Jewish voters traditionally cast ballots for  Democratic presidential candidates. If Harris backs Israel, she runs the risk of alienating the Arab population. If she sides with Israel’s right to defend itself after the Oct. 7 terrorists attacks, she will lose the Arab vote.

In addition, the Detroit area is home to Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. She is the only Palestinian member of Congress and has yet to denounce the terrorists attacks against civilians. She’s currently in an online tiff with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is Jewish. Tlaib has accused Nessel of racism for bringing charges against anti-Israel protestors on the University of Michigan campus.