A group of progressive voters and elected officials are calling on other Minnesota Democrats to show up and vote uncommitted in the state's presidential primary next week in hopes of pushing President Joe Biden to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
The group, part of the Vote Uncommitted MN campaign, encouraged state primary voters to check the uncommitted option on their ballot on Super Tuesday, March 5. They're hopeful a large number of voters will also do the same in this Tuesday's primary in Michigan.
"We have a chance to speak directly to our president, who is running for election this year in our state, to ask that he [reverse] course," St. Paul City Council President Mitra Jalali said outside the federal courthouse in Minneapolis on Monday.
Minnesota DFL chairman Ken Martin said the campaign hasn't proven to be an issue for Biden so far, pointing to the president's strong primary election victories in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
"The president has widespread, nearly unanimous support within our party, and I expect that to be the case next Tuesday here in Minnesota as well," he said.
Martin encouraged Minnesotans to remember the "stark contrast" between Biden and former President Donald Trump when they cast their votes.
"While there may be differences of opinion with President Biden on certain issues, I'd encourage folks not only in the Muslim community but in other communities who might have concerns to remember the stakes of this election in November," Martin said. "They're tremendous, and there is a deep, deep difference between President Biden and Donald Trump as it comes to issues like this."
But several speakers from the campaign argued the March primary is the right time to send a message to his administration, before the electoral stakes are higher in November. While Minnesota's Democratic presidential primary ballot features nine candidates, Biden does not face serious competition in Minnesota next week.
"We are all lifelong Democrats," said Asma Mohammed. "The goal right now is not to get people to vote against the Democrat; we just want the president to listen, and that's why this time right now — in early March — is crucial."
Jaylani Hussein, co-chair of the Minnesota chapter of the Abandon Biden campaign, said they are asking only for voters to not select Biden in the primary and "what comes after it will be determined by the people."
"We believe there's a lot more people who may not be thinking about November yet," he said. "But at least right now they believe this uncommitted vote will do two things: It will save Gaza; it will save the hostages."
Early voting has already started in Minnesota's presidential primary. As of last week, 189,112 Minnesotans had submitted applications for an absentee ballot and 51,866 had been returned and accepted, according to the Secretary of State's office. Polls in the presidential primary open at 7 a.m. across Minnesota on March 5.
