The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on November 9 released the results of an informal exit poll indicating that more than 85 per cent of American Muslim voters picked President Obama in the election. In the last election also, a similar CAIR exit poll in 2008 showed that 89 per cent of American Muslim voters picked then-candidate Barack Obama.
CAIR’s email survey of more than 650 American Muslim voters indicates that just four per cent of respondents cast their ballots for Mitt Romney.
Poll findings:
As many as 95.5 per cent of the Muslim voters said they went to the polls on November 6; 85.7 per cent cast their ballots to re-elect President Obama; 4.4 per cent of respondents said they voted for Mitt Romney; just over two per cent (2.2) of respondents said they voted for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. The same percentage (2.2) of respondents said they voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. More than four per cent of respondents declined to say who they voted for.
States with the highest number of survey respondents (in descending order) were California, New York, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Florida, Michigan, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio.
Of those who voted, 8.3 per cent said they did so for the first time.
“The fact that more than 95 per cent of Muslim respondents went to the polls is a clear indication that they are fully participating in our nation’s political process and are part of the fabric of America,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “Muslim voters in swing states such as Florida, Virginia and Ohio seemed to have played a critical role in tipping the balance in the president’s re-election victory.”
These results support the findings of a pre-election CAIR survey of 500 Muslim voters that rated jobs and the economy, education, health care policy, Medicare and Social Security, and civil rights as the top issues. That survey indicated that 1 in 4 Muslim voters remained undecided about their presidential pick.
“It appears that undecided Muslim voters broke decisively in President Obama’s favour at the polls,” said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor.
Saylor also expressed appreciation that a number of anti-Muslim candidates were rejected by voters nationwide.
Indian Americans Hail Walsh’s Election Defeat as a Victory for Pluralism
Indian American Muslim Council, a USA-based advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has congratulated the citizens of the 8th Congressional District of Illinois, for electing the inclusive vision of Tammy Duckworth, over the divisive agenda of incumbent Congressman Joe Walsh.
Mr. Walsh was the first elected official to openly campaign for granting a visa to Mr. Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, whose entry into the US was banned under the International Religious Freedom Act. This law makes any foreign government official who “was responsible for severe violations of religious freedom” ineligible for a US visa. The law was invoked for Mr. Modi for his complicity in the horrific Gujarat pogrom of 2002 that claimed the lives of over 2,000 people and displaced over 150,000.
Ms. Duckworth, known for her unwavering commitment to human rights and inclusive politics, handily defeated freshman Walsh, whose unquestioning support for Mr. Modi displayed a level of insensitivity to human rights violations not seen among elected public officials.
Joe Walsh’s defeat is also a tribute to the tenacity of the district, with a high concentration of South Asians who rejected fear tactics and hate-mongering by Super PACs and special interest groups. SuperPACs like “Indian Americans for Freedom” poured large sums of money into the campaign with ads proclaiming “If you love Modi, send Joe Walsh to Congress.” The fact that such an affinity for Modi and the divisiveness he represents backfired at the ballot box is a reassuring sign about the future of pluralism.
“In a nation that cherishes tolerance, Mr. Walsh’s defeat demonstrates the futility of divisive agendas and the promotion of human rights violators,” said Mr. Shaheen Khateeb, President of IAMC in a statement on November 8. “It is clear that Walsh’s attack on Duckworth, for being ‘on the wrong side of history,’ was woefully misguided and rather ironic,” added Mr. Khateeb.
IAMC is hopeful that Ms. Duckworth’s tenure in the House of Representatives will be marked by a fearless defence of our common values and contribute to the advancement of justice and human rights abroad.
CAIR Welcomes Voters’ Rejection
of Islamophobic Candidates
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on November 7 welcomed the rejection of Islamophobic candidates by voters nationwide.
In Florida, Rep. Allen West (R), who claims Islam is not a religion but is instead a “totalitarian theocratic political ideology” that is a “very vile and very vicious enemy,” was defeated by a narrow margin.
Also in Florida, State Representative Adam Hasner (R) was defeated in his bid for Congress. Hasner once co-hosted an event featuring Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders that was also sponsored by Anti-Muslim hate group leader Pamela Geller. In 2009, Hasner attempted to block a “Florida Muslim Capitol Day.” In 2007, he sponsored a screening of the anti-Muslim film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” for state legislators.
A third Florida anti-Muslim candidate, Terry Kemple, lost his bid for the Hillsborough County School Board. Kemple’s main issue in the race was seeking to keep Muslim speakers out of local schools.
In Illinois, Rep. Joe Walsh (R) was defeated in his re-election bid. Earlier this year, when a town hall meeting attendee told him that he was “looking for some godly men and women in the Senate, in the Congress, who will stand in the face of the danger of Islam,” Walsh left the door open for suspicion of every Muslim living in Illinois when he responded saying radical Islam is more of a threat “now that it was right after 9/11” and “It’s here. It’s in Elk Grove. It’s in Addison. It’s in Elgin. It’s here.”
In Arkansas, Rep. James McLean defeated Republican Charlie Fuqua, a candidate who advocated the deportation of all Muslims in a self-published book.
In Minnesota, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN) lost his seat. Cravaack was a key supporter’s of Rep. Peter King’s (R-NY) series of anti-Muslim hearings.
“These encouraging results clearly show that mainstream Americans reject anti-Muslim bigotry by candidates for public office and will demonstrate that rejection at the polls,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This election witnessed an increased political awareness and mobilization effort among American Muslims that dealt a major blow to the Islamophobia machine.”
Awad noted that Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann, who recently led a witch hunt against Muslims serving in the government, only retained her House seat by a very narrow margin.