Harris is targeting suburban and young voters in Michigan to offset expected losses by some parts of the Democratic coalition

CNN
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Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign is counting on losses in some parts of the party's coalition in Michigan. She is focusing on a strategy that she says will help overcome those losses by retaining reliable Democratic voters and increasing their numbers, among other things.

They see the trouble spots among whites, working-class voters, young blacks and some in the Arab American community. The strategy to offset their low support is to make gains among white, college-educated voters in the suburbs and among young voters, flip some Republicans and take advantage of early voting in Michigan – which, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, is still growing voters want the most favorable paths to victory for the Democratic candidate.

In 2020, President Joe Biden won the state by less than three points after former President Donald Trump narrowly won it four years earlier. Quinnipiac University polls released last week showed Harris's advantages have shrunk in Pennsylvania and disappeared in Michigan, while a tight race remains in Wisconsin.

Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan, a Democrat, told MSNBC over the weekend: “I don’t think either candidate has won this state yet. I think it will be paper thin. I think it will depend on who votes. And I think any candidate can win this race now.”

There are three demographics in Michigan that Harris campaign officials have identified as strengths: older black voters, young voters and college-educated white voters turned off by Trump.

“Where we are with older black voters, what we're doing with the youth and what we're doing with some suburban voters is something that I think we'll be able to surpass what we've seen in past cycles, or have a real chance, to beat it,” a senior campaign official said.

According to senior Harris campaign officials, the strategy boils down to this: Increase the number of people who vote early in Michigan, and as Election Day approaches, focus more on those who have not yet voted, and more need persuasion.

Much of that depends on the campaign's groundwork, which includes 52 offices across the state — both in Democratic strongholds and traditionally conservative communities. That includes college campuses, where the campaign has deployed staff focused on engaging younger voters.

“It's a tremendous challenge to introduce someone to a portion of the electorate, then define that trust, and then convert that trust into a vote on election day. But that’s the hard work we do,” another senior Harris campaign official said.

Compared to this point in 2020, older voters so far make up a larger share of people requesting ballots. In Michigan, for example, their share is 51%, compared to 40%. The racial breakdown of voters requesting ballots in Michigan is nearly identical to where it was at this point in 2020.

This year, for the first time in a presidential election, voters in Michigan will also have the opportunity to vote in person in advance.

Those responsible for the campaign also target their vulnerabilities with specific outreach measures.

This week, for example, Harris is unveiling economic proposals that appeal to black voters, and the campaign is sending surrogates into communities to engage with people at the local level. She will travel to Detroit on Tuesday for a radio town hall hosted by Charlamagne tha God, co-host of the national radio station, which has millions of followers across digital platforms, while “The Breakfast Club” has a large national audience, many of which Black people are. She will also return to Michigan later in the week.

But another area of ​​concern is the Arab American community.

Then-candidate Biden's victory in the Michigan Democratic primary came with a warning from progressives, young voters and Arab-American Democrats in the form of a “non-binding” protest vote that brought in more than 100,000 votes: Change course on Israel's war in Gaza or risk losing a significant chunk of support in a state that could be crucial in the general election.

Harris has not deviated significantly from Biden's position on Israel. But earlier this month she met with Arab American leaders in Michigan, home to a large Arab American population.

Emgage Action, an organization that aims to empower the Muslim American electorate, endorsed Harris last month while admitting she was “strongly disappointed” with the Biden administration's stance on Gaza. But divisions within the community remain.

Two prominent Arab American groups based in the Detroit area – Arab American PAC and The Arab American News – have decided not to support a candidate for president, Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani told CNN on Monday.

“We’re asking them to skip the election,” Siblani said of Michigan voters. “Both candidates – Trump and Harris – are not meeting our expectations.”

The groups will send a letter to about 75,000 households in southeast Michigan later this week explaining their decision, he said.

“We are doing our best to hold our ground or cut losses,” the first senior Harris campaign official said when asked about possible vote losses in the Arab American community. “We may not get all the votes you would have expected in previous cycles, but they will be made up for when you think about the path to victory.”

CNN's Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional information.