In this critical Battle Ground heading into november. Currently, President Biden leads with about 78 of the democratic vote with uncommitted currently receiving 16 . About 10 of the estimated vote is in. The president is facing strong pushback from key demographics that he might need to win the state again progressives, voters of colour, and arab and muslim voters concerned by his stance on the the israel gaza war. Activists in the state have been organising to send mr biden a message no ceasefire, no vote, and encouraging voters to select the uncommitted option instead of voting for the president. The movement has wide ranging endorsements, including congresswoman rashida tlaib, who posted this earlier. I was proud today to walk in and pull a democratic ballot and pull a democratic ballot and vote uncommitted. We must protect our democracy. We must make sure that our government is about us, about the people. When 7a paul of democrats in michigan is about a ceasefire yet President Biden is not hearing us. This is the way we can use our democracy to say, listen, listen to michigan. We have some Breaking News for you. A couple of minutes after the polls have closed in michigan, cbs news is projecting unsurprisingly that donald trump will win the republican primary contest and joe biden will win the democratic contest. Earlier, we heard from congresswoman debbie dingell, another michigan democrat, who backs President Biden. I think that i have had very direct conversations with the president about what my own constituents and what my former neighbours and the community i lived in for a long time feel. I think the president has heard them. He has made clear he is working for a temporary ceasefire. We have to do a great deal to work for a two State Solution and get critical needed humanitarian aid to gaza. So i think he has tried to work with this community more, he is staff has developed a very important relationships with his community, and i think it is an issue that matters. Weve got a lot of work to do between now and november to make sure he wins in the General Election. We have to roll up our sleeves and we will get it done. Live now to wael alzayat, a former state Department Official who met with President Biden to discuss muslim issues. Thank you forjoining us on bbc news. We arejust thank you forjoining us on bbc news. We are just hearing thank you forjoining us on bbc news. We arejust hearing now, and again a warning that only some of the votes have been counted so far in michigan, but that the number of people who have ticked the uncommitted box on the ballot paper is standing at around i6 of people have picked uncommitted rather than voting for president joe biden. Is that number surprising to you . It is that number surprising to ou . ,. ,. Is that number surprising to ou . ,. , you . It is encouraging because in the last you . It is encouraging because in the last few you . It is encouraging because in the last few cycles you . It is encouraging because in the last few cycles in you . It is encouraging because in the last few cycles in 2020, | in the last few cycles in 2020, 2016, the total number was about 20,000 Uncommitted Who Cast that ballot, and it looks like the number will be surpassed perhaps quite a bit. There are some areas of districts with hairy heavy arab and muslim populations who have not tallied their votes yet so we project the number will go higher. Just yet so we project the number will go higher. Will go higher. Just for context. Will go higher. Just for context, 20,000 will go higher. Just for| context, 20,000 votes will go higher. Just for context, 20,000 votes was previously about 10 of those who had customers and that is about i6 , who had customers and that is about16 , but who had customers and that is about i6 , but the warning that not too many votes have been counted yet. That stems from this protest campaign from muslim and Arab Americans in michigan. How would you describe how they are feeling Aboutjoe Biden and the approach he has taken to what we are seeing in gaza . I approach he has taken to what we are seeing in gaza . We are seeing in gaza . I think the uncommitted we are seeing in gaza . I think the uncommitted votes we are seeing in gaza . I think the uncommitted votes are i we are seeing in gaza . I thinkj the uncommitted votes are an indication it is deep may and a sense of betrayal. Many voters are turning out to run for the biden harris ticket in a very clear eyed manner against the presidency of donald trump and we are proud of that decision, but the president has gravely disappointed not only our communities but our democracy, the majority of the Democratic Baseis the majority of the Democratic Base is supportive of an immediate mutual ceasefire, the majority of the Democratic Base, notjust the arab and muslim voters, but the entire Democratic Party wants an end to the slaughter in gaza and a rising percentage wants an end to unconditional aid for Israel Thatis To Unconditional Aid for israel that is using our money to kill little children. That is not the Democratic Party stands for in the party is a big party and you are hearing from a very important segment of it that will absolutely have an impact in november. D0 will absolutely have an impact in november. Will absolutely have an impact in november. Do you Thinkjoe Biden is listening in november. Do you Thinkjoe Biden is listening to in november. Do you Thinkjoe Biden is listening to those biden is listening to those concerns . It is almost four weeks since he has been in michigan himself. Isnt members of his team to meet arab and Muslim Leaders rather than going himself. How is that perceived . I going himself. How is that perceived . Going himself. How is that erceived . , ~. , perceived . I really dont know what is being perceived . I really dont know what is being listened perceived . I really dont know what is being listened to. Perceived . I really dont know what is being listened to. All. What is being listened to. All we know is the policies have not changed. We are seeing continuation of the israelis to netanyahu including bypassing congress with types of military aid. That is unacceptable. I met with the president as you mentioned early on in october, but we need to see a change of policy. Everything else isjust talk and placating of our committees and our voters, many of them have lost sometimes hundreds of extended Family Members as well as again our democracy is at stake here. Every day that goes by in the white house refuses to exercise its power, to implement its own policies, it has stated, it is a day we are closer to handing our country back to donald trump and magra republicans. What about the timing of the president s remarks yesterday, that he thinks a Ceasefire Deal could be agreed within the week . What about the timing of that given today was the primary . We given today was the primary . We have given today was the primary . Have been hearing there are intensive negotiations happening with a number of countries, including the United States supporting them to reach sort of a temporary ceasefire and a hostage deal and all the hostages need to be released, but anyone who is a child or woman, but we need to see it happening, and i will go back to my original point that it says it wants the escalation, it is telling israel out harm civilians, saying it wants more aid, but none of that is happening yet. Were not any assistance and debate we are bypassing congress by sending more aid. It doesnt make sense. We either mean what we say or we dont and the actions right now dont show that we mean it. ~ right now dont show that we mean it. , ~ ,. , right now dont show that we mean it. , ~ i. ,. , right now dont show that we mean it. , ~ i. Right now dont show that we mean it. , ~. , mean it. Thank you so much for oininu mean it. Thank you so much for joining us mean it. Thank you so much for joining us here mean it. Thank you so much for joining us here on mean it. Thank you so much for joining us here on bbc mean it. Thank you so much for joining us here on bbc news. L joining us here on bbc news. Thank you so much. Meanwhile, republicanformer South Carolina governor nikki haley remains in the race against former President Donald Trump despite losing the primary in her home state over the weekend. Cbs news projecting that she will lose the primary in michigan today as well. Mr trump has largely ignored haley in the days since, and did not appear publicly in michigan today. Instead, he took to social media, showing off new polling data that suggests he holds a slight advantage over President Biden in novembers General Election, including in michigan. Donald trump has about 65 of the vote while azaleas receiving about 31 and that is just with 10 of the vote so far counted ms haley. Yet ms haley, speaking in michigan tuesday before polls closed, remained defiant in her position that mr trump is a losing candidate. If donald trump is the candidate, republicans will once again lose the election, we will lose the swing states, lose the house, lose the senate, we wont take anything with us. The Republican Party is fully divided and you now have factions. You cant win a General Election if you dont acknowledge so you dont want donald trump. Michigan has long been a Battleground State in the General Election. The state had voted for democrats in six consecutive president ial elections, part of the � blue wall� from 1992 to 2012 when voters there gave president obama a win. But in 2016, mr trump won the state byjust under 11,000 votes. In 2018, during the midterm elections that year, democrats swept the states highest offices, including now governor gretchen whitmer. Biden officially flipped the state back to blue in 2020, a key victory for him. But mr trump leads President Biden in multiple head to head match ups in polls in the swing state going into the election this year. Lets discuss all that is at stake. With me now is rodney davis, former republican congressman from illinois and stephanie murphy, former democratic congresswoman from florida. Thank you for being with us here on bbc news. Looking at those early results that we have coming in, the result was never really a question in terms of donald trump and joe biden winning both the primaries, but the percentages. What are you reading into that so far . ,. ,. , so far . The percentages on the republican so far . The percentages on the republican side so far . The percentages on the republican side i so far . The percentages on the republican side i what so far . The percentages on the republican side i what i republican side i what i expected. 65 to the rest of the candidates. That is what i would have expected donald trump to win by. At the democrat uncommitted, if that continues to grow, that could be the difference when it comes to a General Election. That if there is still there is much discontent against President Biden, that could have a real impact and a very close race, and with the electoral votes from michigan going to donald trump, that would be enough to make him president again. Stephanie, what do you think . Uncommitted is not a vote for a person in this case. To uncommitted is not a vote for a person in this case. Person in this case. To be fair, person in this case. To be fair. The person in this case. To be fair, the michigan person in this case. To be j fair, the michigan primary person in this case. To be fair, the michigan primary does vote fair, the michigan primary does vote uncommitted and as has been vote uncommitted and as has been mentioned usually about 20,000, been mentioned usually about 20,000, and if it exceeds that, then 20,000, and if it exceeds that, then it 20,000, and if it exceeds that, then it is 20,000, and if it exceeds that, then it is the base sending a message then it is the base sending a message to biden. But in Democratic Campaigns we often say the Democratic Campaigns we often say the base will complain during say the base will complain during an election but they always during an election but they always come home in the generat always come home in the general. So the concern here for the general. So the concern here for the Biden Administration is whether for the Biden Administration is whether or not they come home to the whether or not they come home to the democratic candidate or whether to the democratic candidate or whether they stay home, and i think whether they stay home, and i think it whether they stay home, and i think it is whether they stay home, and i think it is important notjust to look think it is important notjust to look at think it is important notjust to look at who is voting uncommitted, it also, what the turnout uncommitted, it also, what the Turnout Numbers are in this primary Turnout Numbers are in this primary election. Of Turnout Numbers are in this primary election. Of course, we dont have primary election. Of course, we dont have that primary election. Of course, we dont have that yet, primary election. Of course, we dont have that yet, we primary election. Of course, we dont have that yet, we are dont have that yet, we are just in the early stages of counting. Our concern should the Democratic Party be about the Democratic Party be about the Protest Notjust in small part of michigan, but in other pockets of what would be key democratic demographics like young people, for example, about howjoe biden � s handling the situation with israel and gaza . I the situation with israel and gaza . ~ ,. , gaza . I think this is a huge concern gaza . I think this is a huge concern for gaza . I think this is a huge concern for the gaza . I think this is a huge concern for the party gaza . I think this is a huge i concern for the party because it is concern for the party because it is not concern for the party because it is notjust about concern for the party because it is not just about the voters. It is not just about the voters, whether they are arab American Voters or young voters arab American Voters or young voters who arab American Voters or young voters who are progressive voters voters who are progressive voters who are progressive voters who have real concerns about voters who have real concerns about the voters who have real concerns about the Biden Administrations policies. It is not administrations policies. It is notjust about administrations policies. It is not just about their vote but is not just about their vote but also is not just about their vote but also about their manpower. We rely but also about their manpower. We rely as but also about their manpower. We rely as a Democratic Party heavily we rely as a Democratic Party heavily on we rely as a Democratic Party heavily on young voters and progressive voters to lock doors progressive voters to lock doors and participate in the field doors and participate in the field game that is critical to campaigns all across the country campaigns all across the country in all of these different sites knock. It is not different sites knock. It is notjust different sites knock. It is not just about swing states like not just about swing states like michigan but about the Democratic Campaign effort that they Democratic Campaign effort that thev witi Democratic Campaign effort that they will roll out across the country they will roll out across the country if these voters are not only country if these voters are not only not country if these voters are not only not inspired, but are disenfranchised. Disenfranchised. That is democrats disenfranchised. That is democrats not disenfranchised. That is democrats not being i disenfranchised. That is. Democrats not being happy disenfranchised. That is democrats not being happy with their candidate, but if we look at those early tallies for michigan, and they are similar to other states, there is still 35 of republicans who are not happy with donald trump either. Absolutely. Just like with the disaffected Arab Americans in michigan, it becomes a Binary Choice and a choice, do you want to vote or stay home . When you look at republicans and especially low propensity Republican Voters in 2016, 2020, and i would assume 2024, they will come out in droves for donald trump, which makes up for donald trump, which makes up for those disaffected voters who want to stay home stop the question is. Are these uncommitted voters . And those who would submit support uncommitted but didnt come out today, are they going to stay hom