Co-founder without party affiliation announces candidacy for state Senate in Michigan

Abbas Alawieh, who co-founded the Uncommitted initiative that encouraged Democrats to register a protest vote against President Biden during the 2024 primary over his administrations response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, announced Thursday his candidacy for a Michigan state Senate seat.

In a video posted on the social platform X, Alawieh stated, Im Abbas Alawieh, and Im running for state Senate to defend families as if they were my own. I understand what it means to stand firm when others urge us to stay quiet. When foreign conflicts were being funded while local working families were overlooked, I took action and spearheaded a historic anti-war movement that mobilized one million pro-peace Democratic voters demanding change.

Alawieh is seeking election in Michigan Senate District 2, which encompasses Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and parts of Detroit and Allen Park. The seat is currently held by state Sen. Sylvia Santana (D).

Previously, Alawieh served as chief of staff to former Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), a member of the progressive squad. He gained national attention last year alongside Layla Elabed when they established the Uncommitted movement in Michigan, urging voters to select uncommitted in the Democratic primary as a protest against the Biden administration. Over 100,000 votersapproximately 13 percentchose uncommitted, sending a significant message of dissent that later expanded to other states.

During the Democratic National Convention last year, Alawieh represented the uncommitted delegates and requested that a Palestinian speaker be allowed to address the convention, a proposal that was ultimately denied.

Author: Benjamin Carter