Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign Taps Egyptian American Lawyer For Arab American Voter Outreach

Kamala Harris’ campaign for the U.S. presidency has brought on Brenda Abdelall, an Egyptian American lawyer and former Department of Homeland Security official, to lead outreach efforts to Arab American voters, a key demographic in swing states that could be crucial in the November 5 election.

Abdelall’s role will focus on gaining support from a community that has expressed frustration with U.S. backing of Israel’s war in Gaza. The Harris campaign had already enlisted Afghan American lawyer Nasrina Bargzie to engage with Muslim Americans.

Harris, a Democrat, is in a close contest with Republican candidate Donald Trump, and votes from Muslim and Arab Americans could be decisive in battleground states like Michigan, where protests have erupted over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In 2020, U.S. President Joe Biden secured significant support from Arab and Muslim voters, but his continued support for Israel, despite the high death toll in Gaza, has led to discontent within these communities. This dissatisfaction has fueled an “uncommitted” campaign against him in the Democratic primaries.

Michigan, where Harris is set to visit soon, is home to one of the largest Muslim and Arab American communities in the country. During the state’s primary, over 100,000 voters chose to vote “uncommitted” rather than support Biden, who stepped down as a candidate on July 21.

Some activists hold Harris accountable for the Biden administration’s stance on Israel and the crisis in Gaza. After the recent Democratic convention, pro-Palestinian activists criticized Harris for not showing a break from existing policies.

While these pro-Palestinian groups are not expected to support Trump and have shown no inclination toward the Republican candidate, some have initiated a campaign called “Abandon Harris,” urging supporters to vote for third-party candidates.

Abdelall, who will lead Arab American outreach for Harris, previously served as a senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, starting her role in January 2021, shortly after Trump left office. She also has a background in Middle Eastern cuisine, having run a food blog and taught cooking classes.

The latest violence in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel’s assault on Gaza has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, and sparked a hunger crisis. Israel has denied genocide allegations at the World Court.