Organizers launch ‘Uncommitted’ primary campaign to criticize Biden’s support for Israel

Vote Uncommitted New Mexico is encouraging people to register as Democrats and vote “uncommitted” on their primary ballots, rather than selecting Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee. (Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images)

A grassroots effort to use the New Mexico primary election to push President Joe Biden’s policy positions on Gaza officially launched in the state over the weekend.

The campaign called Vote Uncommitted New Mexico, is encouraging people to register as Democrats and vote “uncommitted” on their primary ballots, rather than selecting Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.

The campaign here in New Mexico is inspired in part by earlier ones started in Michigan and Minnesota .

New Mexico’s primary on June 4 (early voting begins May 7) will be one of the last among the 25 states and territories where voters can fill out a ballot option other than the parties’ nominees, be counted in the actual national party results, and not get discarded.

By state law, “Uncommitted” appears below the presidential candidates on primary ballots.

The uncommitted vote’s purpose, organizers in New Mexico say, is to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, end what the International Court of Justice has ruled is plausibly a genocide, and show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

“Democrats are calling on President Biden to act forcefully and decisively to end the massive violence perpetrated by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people with the apparent intent to create conditions in which life is not sustainable, that is, through mass killing, forced famine, destruction of homes, medical and other infrastructure, and the resulting displacement,” the campaign argues on its website , which recently went live.

The campaign’s platform is adapted and expanded from the resolution passed by the Democratic Party of New Mexico’s State Central Committee last month, which urges the state’s congressional delegation and Biden to demand an immediate, unqualified ceasefire.

“So far, none of these officials has done so; they instead justify the actions of the Israeli government through false excuses and narratives,” the website argues.

Israel has killed more than 33,137 Palestinians – including more than 13,000 children – and injured 75,815 since Oct. 7, according to the Gaza health ministry.

U.S. Agency for International Development officials privately warned on April 2 that parts of Gaza are experiencing famine. Israel has denied visas for aid workers, blocked UNRWA food convoys from entering Gaza, and killed 177 of their staff.

One organizer with the campaign, Lora Lucero, is a long-time activist, retired government planner, and a representative for the Central New Mexico chapter of Progressive Democrats of America. She also lived in Gaza from 2012 to 2013, where she taught about climate change at the Islamic University of Gaza. Israel destroyed the university’s main buildings on Oct. 11.

Lucero said the United States government is supporting Israel in breaking international law, undermining institutions and in committing genocide. And Democratic leadership hasn’t been listening to the public or their constituents, she said.

“I can’t envision a future in Gaza, based on what I’ve seen, and knowing so many people that have been killed,” Lucero said. “As Americans, we have to envision the future of our relationship with the world.”

States Newsroom reports as the war has dragged on, Biden has seen a drastic change in support among young voters. Organizers In New Mexico believe they can tap into that voting bloc in part through social media.

Israel-Hamas war sets progressive and young voters on collision course with White House

The campaign posted its first public announcement on Sunday evening across social media platforms.

“Send a message to Joe Biden that his unconditional support for Israel’s genocide on Gaza is unacceptable,” the post states. “Biden must listen to his base to build a stronger Party for victory over Trump in November.”

The campaign will host a more formal launch later this month, with a news conference and rally in Albuquerque. They said they’re networking through existing mutual aid, climate justice and Palestinian solidarity groups to make the campaign statewide. So far, organizers said people from Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Taos, Las Cruces and Estancia are involved.

‘You’re endangering your own reelection’

Organizers have been preparing to launch the campaign since mid-March. Many of them are frustrated with the Democratic Party leadership over their support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

Before uncommitted organizers started meeting, Lucero reached out to the Secretary of State’s Office to ask about whether the option would appear on the primary ballot. She also lobbied New Mexico’s congressional delegation in Washington D.C. in November and December.

Another organizer with the campaign, William Whiteman, is a co-chair of the Santa Fe chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and has been a fixture at Palestine solidarity protests in the state’s capital since Oct. 7.

He said Santa Fe DSA’s members are energized by their recent electoral victory, where they used a ground game to overcome a fundraising challenge and get Alma Castro elected to the Santa Fe City Council.

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They’ll be using that energy to get the word out about the uncommitted campaign in the city, Whiteman said. “We know we have a considerable number of people we could be deploying to go knock on doors,” he said.

Reached for comment on Sunday night, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of New Mexico Daniel Garcia said the party hopes to see high participation in its primary “from voters who have every right to have their voices heard as they choose.”

Uncommitted campaign organizers said they are anticipating backlash accusing the campaign of risking Donald Trump’s victory in the general election in November.

“We don’t want to undermine the progressive movement,” said Palestinian-American Samia Assed, with the Southwest Coalition for Palestine.

Assed brought together the core group of people that first started building the campaign.

“Millions of Americans are demanding an end to the horrific violence and demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire now,” Assed said.

Some organizers believe the Democratic Party can be reformed, some don’t. But they said they are all united around bringing justice to Gaza.

Lucero said Gaza is just one example of the Democratic Party leadership not listening to progressives or the average American for many years.

“Biden, you’re endangering your own reelection by not listening to us,” she said.

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