Midwest
Kamala Harris’ Israel smear is a gamble that could cost her an all-important swing state
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Vice President Kamala Harris might have just sealed her fate in Pennsylvania — just not in the way she intended.
After publicly agreeing with a heckler accusing Israel of genocide, the vice president signaled a desperate attempt to placate Arab American voters in a state where discontent with Democrats’ support of Israel has been growing and is likely irreversible. And in doing so, Harris continued to alienate another key demographic: Jewish voters. And it’s in Pennsylvania where she may pay the ultimate price.
At a campaign event in Wisconsin, a heckler yelled at Harris about Israel’s alleged war crimes, and Harris responded by saying, “What he’s talking about, it’s real.” The remark didn’t come off as an off-the-cuff response, but an affirmation of a false narrative designed to appease unhappy Arab American voters.
TRADITIONALLY DEM LEADERS IN KEY MICHIGAN VOTING BLOC DITCH HARRIS, ENDORSE TRUMP
Her campaign only walked the statement back after her calculated response gained too much attention. But it wasn’t before it became the latest in a series of signals that the Democratic Party, once seen as a strong ally of Israel, is shifting under the weight of progressive voices who reject the Jewish state.
Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, sits with former Rep. Liz Cheney for a town hall with Maria Shriver at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on October 21, 2024, in Royal Oak, Michigan, United States. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)
Harris, clearly aware that Michigan’s Arab American community has been growing increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration’s stance on Israel, is trying to walk a political tightrope. Michigan has one of the largest Arab American populations in the country, and in a race that could be won by a very small percentage of votes, this voting bloc yields power.
But it’s impossible to pacify this base without accusing Israel of genocide and Harris is already behind in Michigan. Former President Donald Trump is gaining momentum at the right time, making Harris’ chances of winning Michigan exceedingly slim — even with her appeasement strategy.
If placating Arab voters in Michigan is unlikely to land, what’s the cost? It’s Jewish voters in Pennsylvania and they could be a deciding factor. Harris is already struggling in Pennsylvania, a state more crucial than Michigan if she hopes to take the White House. Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, especially in the suburban regions around Philadelphia, have traditionally been a strong Democratic bloc. But there are signs of movement away from the party, and Harris’s recent comments may accelerate that shift.
“The family that is my generation and older generations, I don’t think anybody is voting for Harris, and we’ve never voted Republican, ever,” 49-year-old Pittsburgh resident Rona Kaufman told the AP. “My sister has a Trump sign outside her house, and that is a huge shift.”
Enter Dave McCormick. The Republican candidate running for Senate in Pennsylvania has been strategically courting Jewish voters. He’s tapped into the growing discontent with the Democratic Party’s shifting stance on Israel, positioning himself as a staunch defender of the U.S.-Israel alliance. McCormick has made repeated visits to synagogues, hosted events specifically for the Jewish community, and is clearly hoping to capitalize on the kind of rhetoric Harris just embraced and amplified.
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It’s not just McCormick, either. Across the country, Republicans have been making inroads with Jewish voters who rightly feel abandoned by a Democratic Party that seems willing to bend further and further toward anti-Israel progressivism. And it doesn’t take much to tip the scales.
In tight races like the ones expected in Pennsylvania and Michigan, even a small shift in voter demographics can make a significant difference, especially when you see other demographics traditionally loyal to Democrats (Latinos and Black men) drifting to Trump.
It didn’t help that Harris passed on a stronger vice-presidential choice of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for a Minnesota knucklehead. If Jewish voters who traditionally support Democrats move even slightly toward the GOP — let’s say 5% — that could be enough to swing key counties and potentially the state.
But it’s impossible to pacify this base without accusing Israel of genocide and Harris is already behind in Michigan. Former President Donald Trump is gaining momentum at the right time, making Harris’ chances of winning Michigan exceedingly slim — even with her appeasement strategy.
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. A recent Pew Research survey showed that while Jewish voters still overwhelmingly support Democrats, their support for Republicans has been steadily growing, with more Jews viewing Trump as pro-Israel than they do the Democratic Party.
A Siena College poll in September even found Trump with a 10-point lead over Harris with Jewish voters. While that’s since shifted to Harris, it’s unclear if that’s due to a sampling anomaly, and it signals there’s clearly some movement toward Trump, especially with a new Manhattan Institute poll showing Jewish support for a Democrat presidential nominee is the lowest it’s been since the Ronald Reagan era.
The electoral map is unforgiving, and Pennsylvania is a make-or-break state for Harris where every percentage point counts. If Jewish voters decide to punish the Democrats for their lack of support for Israel and embrace of antisemitic voices within their party, it could be the nail in the coffin for Harris’s presidential ambitions.
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Detroit, MI
On the front lines of chronic absenteeism: What Detroit’s Health Hubs do to get kids to school
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Upbeat on-hold music blared from Jerrica Mickens’ cellphone for nearly 50 minutes as she searched on her laptop for affordable housing for a parent in Detroit.
Mickens was on a three-way call with a mother and a legal aide hotline the morning of April 21 in her Central High School office. As the two waited for a representative to answer questions about the mother’s landlord troubles, Mickens asked what else her family needed. Did they want to pick up a box of groceries for the month? Did the kids need new clothes? Did anyone in the family need mental health services?
Mickens is one of nine “navigators” whose job is getting to know school communities and discerning their needs. They play a critical role in the Detroit Public Schools Community District’s 10 Health Hubs. Since launching in 2023, the hubs have contributed to improved attendance in the district and helped thousands of families, officials say.
Mickens’ time and care is often a lifeline for parents in survival mode. Sometimes, she said, families just need someone to listen.
“My passion is serving people,” said Mickens. “So if that’s what a person needs, then I’m gonna be here for that.”
The navigators lead parents through a complex web of district resources, social services, and nonprofit assistance they may not otherwise know how to access. Their offices serve as a one-stop-shop to triage the root causes that keep students from regularly attending school, such as poor health, unstable housing, and food insecurity.
At the hubs, students are connected with vision and hearing screenings, as well as medical, dental, and mental health care. The centers connect families with housing, utility assistance, and legal services. The school community can stop in for food and hygiene product distribution.
From July 1, 2023, through June 14, the hubs served families 19,200 times and more than 1,100 referrals were made.
“We know that for students to show up ready to learn and focus on their academics, their basic health and well-being needs must be met first,” said Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. “Schools are the natural, trusted, and most convenient hub for families to access these vital resources.”
Prolonged absenteeism has long been a problem for Detroit schools due to systemic socioeconomic barriers, which in turn severely hinders students’ learning.
Michigan students are considered chronically absent when they miss 18 days or more in a 180-day school year.
Nearly 61% of the district’s students were chronically absent in 2024-25. Though the rate was considerably higher than the statewide average of 28%, DPSCD has outpaced the rest of Michigan in reducing absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic.
District officials attribute the improvement to many long-term efforts – like creating a culture of improving attendance among leaders, hiring more counselors to address mental health needs, and student incentives – but they believe the hubs are a key piece.
Overall, the district’s chronic absenteeism rate decreased by 5.2 percentage points last year compared to 2022-23, the last year before the hubs opened. Academic performance has also improved, with third-grade reading proficiency and graduation rates reaching historic highs last year.
“K-12 students who accessed the Health Hubs during the 2024–25 school year had better average daily attendance and lower rates of chronic absenteeism than students who did not access the Hubs,” said Vitti, though he didn’t provide detailed numbers.
Jaiden Mabins, who recently graduated from Osborn High School, said his attendance improved and his postsecondary plans were affected by Mickens’ work as a navigator at his school.
In 10th grade, Mabin’s home burned down, which meant moving in with his sister near 10 Mile – a considerable distance from his school on the east side of Detroit. The limited transportation options forced him to stay home many days, he said.
“Ms. Jerrica, she helped us find a new place, still close in the neighborhood for school,” said Mabins.
The navigator gave him new clothes, school supplies, and a laptop. When it came time to think about his post-high school options, she helped him fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Addressing Detroit families’ needs beyond the school day
At 11:50 a.m. at Central High School, 17-year-old Jeremy McKinney was led by a school employee through Mickens’ office door, held open by two stacked boxes of canned green beans overflowing from the hub’s food distribution pantry.
McKinney squinted when he introduced himself, struggling to see. His glasses had been stolen. The navigator got him on the waiting list to get a new pair from a nonprofit that regularly visits the school.
Around 185 pairs of glasses have been given to kids in the district since the hubs opened, according to DPSCD.
As Mickens got back to packing boxes of groceries for scheduled pick-ups, she paused periodically to answer calls from parents.
“Oh Lord Jesus, I hope I can help her,” she said of a mother whose house flooded. Once a new place was secured, Mickens said she knew an organization that would build new beds for the kids. She could also help them get gas cards to get to school and some clothing.
While DPSCD has always tried to fill gaps for students with attendance agents and wraparound services, district officials say the hubs streamline the process. Navigators have the time for deeper conversations with families and take detailed notes on their case files. They can also better track how the children are served by outside organizations beyond the initial referral.
All of the hubs are strategically placed so every school has a location within 3 miles.
Mickens is currently responsible for 10 feeder schools in addition to Central and Durfee Elementary-Middle School. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she travels to the other schools to get to know parent outreach coordinators, principals, and social workers who relay family needs.
There are currently hubs in 10 DPSCD schools – Central, Denby, Henry Ford, Marygrove, Martin Luther King Jr., Mumford, Osborn, Southeastern, and Western International high schools, as well as East English Village Prep Academy.
There will also be hubs at the new Cody and Pershing high schools when they open for the 2027-28 school year. There are plans for a Detroit Lions Academy location, though an opening date has not been set.
It costs around $500,000 a year to operate each hub, said Vitti. But because most of the expenses are covered by donations from community partners, the actual cost for DPSCD is around $172,000 a year per hub, he added.
Coordinated school health plan models in New York City’s school system and the Oakland Unified School District served as models for the district. Those districts reportedly saw improvements in attendance and academic achievement, as well as lower rates of student discipline.
A third-party evaluator is currently examining how the hubs affect DPSCD student attendance. It is expected to be complete in the fall.
Later that day at Central, Mickens grabbed two tuna snack packs and a chocolate milk for a teen boy in between classes.
The navigator asked if he’d filled out the dental exam permission slip she gave him days before. No, he said, because he wouldn’t be at the school for long.
She consoled the student after learning the reason he had to leave. “No judgment,” she said.
Mickens said she understands some of the challenges the students she serves face. She dropped out when she was a ninth grader at Central years ago.
“A lot of it was because of the disconnect of social services that I needed,” she said. “ I have a heart to not let kids go through what I have.”
Hannah Dellinger covers Detroit schools for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.
Cincinnati Reds (39-43, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (50-31, first in the NL Central)
Milwaukee; Monday, 7:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Nick Lodolo (2-2, 5.59 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 38 strikeouts); Brewers: Robert Gasser (1-3, 4.50 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 31 strikeouts)
LINE: Brewers -156, Reds +126; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers begin a four-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
Milwaukee is 50-31 overall and 26-17 at home. The Brewers have gone 35-13 in games when they record at least eight hits.
Cincinnati has gone 20-21 in road games and 39-43 overall. The Reds have a 27-6 record in games when they scored at least five runs.
The matchup Monday is the fourth time these teams match up this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: William Contreras has nine home runs, 31 walks and 50 RBIs while hitting .301 for the Brewers. Brice Turang is 10 for 44 with a double, a triple and three RBIs over the past 10 games.
Elly De La Cruz has 13 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 38 RBIs for the Reds. Spencer Steer is 7 for 39 with three home runs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Brewers: 5-5, .239 batting average, 3.30 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs
Reds: 4-6, .215 batting average, 4.45 ERA, outscored by seven runs
INJURIES: Brewers: Coleman Crow: 15-Day IL (forearm), Brandon Lockridge: 10-Day IL (knee), Brian Fitzpatrick: 60-Day IL (elbow), D.L. Hall: 15-Day IL (pectoral), Quinn Priester: 60-Day IL (wrist), Carlos Rodriguez: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Logan Henderson: 15-Day IL (back), Rob Zastryzny: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Angel Zerpa: 60-Day IL (forearm)
Reds: Eugenio Suarez: day-to-day (hand), Blake Dunn: 10-Day IL (elbow), Tony Santillan: 15-Day IL (oblique), Ke’Bryan Hayes: 10-Day IL (back), Emilio Pagan: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Nick Lodolo: day-to-day (wrist), Graham Ashcraft: 60-Day IL (forearm), Brandon Williamson: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Hunter Greene: 60-Day IL (elbow)
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Extreme Heat Warning
from MON 9:00 AM CDT until TUE 12:00 AM CDT, Stearns County, Waseca County, Goodhue County, Isanti County, Mille Lacs County, Hennepin County, Sherburne County, Meeker County, Dakota County, Le Sueur County, Renville County, Ramsey County, McLeod County, Washington County, Brown County, Rice County, Redwood County, Chisago County, Morrison County, Watonwan County, Nicollet County, Kanabec County, Benton County, Anoka County, Sibley County, Blue Earth County, Martin County, Faribault County, Scott County, Freeborn County, Kandiyohi County, Steele County, Wright County, Pine County, Pepin County, Dunn County, Polk County, Barron County, Chippewa County, Pierce County, Eau Claire County, Burnett County, Washburn County
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