3 months ago
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Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, a Detroit-area suburb with a Muslim majority, has announced his endorsement of Donald Trump for the
2024 presidential election
. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Ghalib expressed his belief that Trump is "the right choice for this critical time," despite not agreeing with him on everything. The mayor, who wrote the post in Arabic, stated, "Though it's looking good, he may or may not win the election and be the 47th president of the United States, but I believe he is the right choice for this critical time."
As per a Fox News report, Ghalib also emphasized his commitment to his decision, saying, "I'll not regret my decision no matter what the outcome would be, and I'm ready to face the consequences.
For this, and for many other reasons, I announce my support and endorsement for the former, and hopefully, the next president of the United States, Donald Trump." The mayor added, "Now, let the Caravan begin its journey. This is just the starting point."
According to Ghalib, he and Trump discussed various topics, including "the debates, the polls updates, the statistics of votes in Michigan and Wayne County, the Arab American concerns and the Yemeni Americans in particular." They also talked about the current situation in Yemen. Hamtramck is unique in being the only US city entirely governed by Muslims, with over 40% of its population being foreign-born.
Hamtramck is notable as the only city in the United States governed entirely by Muslims, with over 40% of its population being foreign-born. Ghalib, who has been active in discussing issues concerning Arab Americans, particularly Yemeni Americans, noted that he and Trump had spoken about a range of topics, including "the debates, the polls updates, the statistics of votes in Michigan and Wayne County," as well as "the situation in Yemen."
Despite Ghalib’s support for Trump, polls show a challenging race ahead for the former president. Recent national surveys, including one from NBC News, indicate that Vice President Kamala Harris has gained ground on Trump in the lead-up to the election. The NBC poll, conducted from Sept. 13-17, shows Harris leading Trump by 5 percentage points, with 48% of registered voters viewing her favorably, a significant rise from July. Trump’s favorability rating, meanwhile, saw a slight uptick, with 40% of respondents viewing him positively.
A separate poll by CBS News shows a narrower lead for Harris, who was ahead by 4 percentage points, 52% to 48%, among likely voters. Both polls point to a close contest as the Nov. 5 election draws nearer, with battleground states likely to play a decisive role.
Trump, 78, is making his third bid for the White House after losing to Joe Biden in 2020. Harris, 59, would make history as the first woman president if elected.
Political analysts note that the race has shifted in recent weeks. "She's been able to change this from a race that was a referendum on Joe Biden to a race that is a referendum on Donald Trump," said Amy Walter, editor in chief of the Cook Political Report, during an appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press."
As national polls show a close race, state-level results from key battlegrounds will likely determine the outcome, making endorsements like Ghalib’s significant as candidates vie for every vote.
(With inputs from agencies)
