Primary Protest Vote Against Biden Surges to 10% in Kansas

Concerns among Democrats regarding the Biden administration’s approach to Israel’s conflict in the Gaza Strip have been evident in the presidential primaries held in Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington this year.

In all four states, votes for “uncommitted” or “no preference” secured a significant portion of the vote, with at least 9% in each state coming in second to the president. Minnesota (18.9%) and Michigan (13.2%) saw the highest levels of protest votes.

This trend persisted in Kansas, where “none of these candidates” received 10.2% of the vote with 94% of precincts reporting, according to DecisionDesk HQ. Biden was ultimately declared the winner.

Notably, this category held a lead of 27.8 percentage points in Rawlins County and 35.8 points in Sheridan County in northwest Kansas, along with a slight 5.3-point edge in Ness County in west-central Kansas.

In Illinois, the option for “uncommitted” was not available on the ballot, but pro-Palestinian groups encouraged voters to write in “Gaza,” as reported by The New York Times. The number of votes for “Gaza” remains unknown.

Over 100,000 individuals voted “uncommitted” in Michigan, with over 87,000 doing so in Washington, and more than 45,000 in Minnesota. Additionally, nearly 59,000 voters in Massachusetts chose “no preference.” Democrats are reportedly concerned that Biden’s handling of the Gaza conflict could potentially benefit former President Donald Trump, the presumed GOP nominee, in the upcoming November election, particularly as Michigan and Minnesota are viewed as critical battleground states.