Michigan, as a key battleground state, will be one of the states in the spotlight in the months leading up to the November general election. President Joe Biden and former president and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump are expected to make frequent stops in the state in an effort to win the support of the voters. Currently, Trump has a slight lead in the race against a direct faceoff with President Biden. According to The Hill, Trump has a 0.5% lead based on 52 surveys.
Biden started well
Biden has received a huge endorsement since early this year, promising another win after the 2020 election. The United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain endorsed U.S. President Joe Biden in what then appeared to be a critical step in his reelection bid since he is trying to win the support of working-class Americans. The president of the 400,000-member union explained his decision, citing Biden’s commitment to helping American workers, especially Biden’s support during the UAW’s strike last fall, which is evidence of Biden’s priorities.
However, just weeks later, Biden received a huge blow from other key voter groups. In Michigan, Arab, Muslim, and Black voters said that they wouldn’t support Biden in November, a trend that has been more evident since the end of last year. The deep discontent among these normally Democratic voting blocs could be a problem for Biden in November, particularly in swing-state Michigan, which has the nation’s highest share of Arab Americans and one of the highest shares of Muslims. Shortly after winning the primaries in Michigan, ABC News reported that Democrats would be unwise to take Arab American or Muslim voters for granted.
A chance for Trump
Trump was the first Republican to win Michigan since 1988, defeating Hillary Clinton by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2016, but lost to Biden in 2020. Now, the former president hopes that Black, Arab, and Muslim voters could help him win the state again, especially after trends show that these groups are shifting to him in recent months. This weekend marks the presumptive Republican nominee’s first visit to Michigan since the guilty verdict in New York.
The details
Trump plans to engage in a roundtable at 180 Church in Detroit on June 15. Additionally, he will deliver a speech over the weekend in Detroit at the People Convention organized by Turning Point Action. This conservative group aims to strengthen conservative grassroots activism and help voters find and support genuine conservative leaders, as described on their website.
There are currently no additional details available about the participants or other specifics of the roundtable.
“President Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America, will visit Detroit to listen to members of the community,” a statement from Trump’s campaign said. “President Trump will discuss how Joe Biden has failed the great people of Detroit and the State of Michigan.”
Frequent visits
This year, both President Biden and Trump have made several trips to Michigan, a key battleground state, to boost their campaigns for the upcoming November election. Trump’s last visit was in May, his third trip to Michigan in 2024, where he discussed immigration issues. This visit was his first since being convicted on all 34 felony charges in a trial involving “hush money.”
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On the other hand, President Biden last visited Detroit on May 19 to speak at the NAACP Fight for Freedom Dinner. Vice President Kamala Harris also visited recently, attending the Michigan Democratic Party’s annual Legacy dinner on Saturday night.
