Biden's 'Uncommitted' Problem Is Growing

If President Biden thought Michigan's sizable "uncommitted" protest vote in the state's primary last month was a fluke, he learned otherwise on Super Tuesday. In Minnesota, for example, about 19% of voters checked the "uncommitted" option, largely in protest of Biden's support of Israel in the Hamas war. The results "again raised uncomfortable questions" for Biden not only regarding the remaining primaries but the general election as well, per Reuters. The results, as laid out by Axios:

• North Carolina: About 88,000 uncommitted votes, or 12.7%
• Massachusetts: 55,800, 9.4%
• Minnesota: 45,900, 18.9%
• Colorado: 43,400, 8.1%
• Alabama: 11,200, 6%
• Tennessee: 10,400, 7.9%
• Iowa: 480, 3.9%

• Spreading? In Minnesota's case, the state has a sizable population of Somali residents, but the large percentage of dissatisfied voters suggests anger over Biden's support of Israel has "spread beyond Muslim Americans to progressives and younger voters," per the New York Times. The Hill similarly points to a "wave of urgency among progressive Americans" on the issue.
• White House responds: "The president believes making your voice heard and participating in our democracy is fundamental to who we are as Americans," said campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt early Wednesday, per the Times. "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."
• Harris' speech: Another sign that the White House is taking this seriously is that VP Kamala Harris delivered a strong call for a ceasefire in a speech last week. "I don't think the vice president would have made such a sweeping statement if Super Tuesday wasn't happening, and we have been seeing the same thing with President Biden," Asma Nizami, an organizer of Vote Uncommitted in Minnesota, tells Reuters.

(More Joe Biden 2024 stories.)