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471 Tweet Comment Islamophobia became Muslim Americans primary voting concern
after a year fraught with anti-Muslim incidents, according to a new survey
conducted by the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). But that hasn’t
stopped the most flagrant offender of anti-Muslim rhetoric from being the
preferred Republican candidate among Muslim-Americans. Donald Trump came in
third among candidates of both parties, with just over 7 percent support in
CAIR’s poll. Sen. Cruz (R-TX) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush came in behind
Trump with just 2 percent. Republican candidates’ figures were dwarfed by the
leading Democrat candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders who polled at
52 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Blackberry Display Picture, Find Here!
But Trump’s support is still somewhat
of a surprise after repeated incidents of anti-Muslim rhetoric, including
Trump’s infamous callfor a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. “I think because of
his anti-establishment [views] and his business background gives hope for
economic policies Republicans traditionally aligned with,” Sabah Ahmed, founder
of the Republican Muslim Coalition, told ThinkProgress. “He has worked with
Muslims all his life, and he has properties all over the Middle East, despite
[his] anti-Muslim rhetoric, and many business dealings with our constituency
and knows we’re good people.” “There are a core group of Muslim Republicans and
[Donald] Trump and [Sen. Ted] Cruz are the frontrunners of the Republican party
and those Muslims will support the party as party loyalists do,” CAIR’s
Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw, who oversaw the survey, told
ThinkProgress. The most important issue for 24 percent of Muslim-Americans in
2014 was the economy, whereas Islamophobia was the most important issue for 15
percent. In 2016, the economy stood firm with Muslim voters at 24 percent but Islamophobia
jumped to become the most important issue for 30 percent of the this community.
CREDIT: Graphic by Dylan Petrohilos “This can be directly traced back to the
toxic political environment of fear around Muslims in America,”McCaw said.
“[The figures] reflects an unprecedented number of attacks in houses of worship
last year.” Muslim-Americans are a highly-diverse group of people that span a
myriad of ethnic groups and nationalities. Important issues to Muslim voters
vary based on these demographics, though it is widely believe that a
substantial segment held conservative social and economic beliefs. “George W.
Bush made Muslim outreach a priority [in 2000], and he did well with the bloc,”
David A. Graham wrote in the Atlantic, Monday. “But following the attacks of
September 11, 2001, the Muslim vote has swung strongly toward Democrats, driven
by opposition to wars in the Middle East and concerns about civil liberties and
Islamophobia stateside.” That shift continued in the last two years.
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