US Muslim Vote to Make Real Difference in Elections

Washington, 7 Safar 1438/7 November 2016 (MINA) – Muslim-American voters “will make the real difference” in this election, according to Khizr Khan, the now-famous father of a soldier killed while serving with U.S. forces in Iraq.

At the Democratic National Convention in July, Khizr Khan and his wife Ghazala harshly criticized Donald Trump, particularly his proposed ban on Muslims.

Now, Khizr Khan has been touring the country promoting the Clinton campaign among Muslim communities. On Friday, he was in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington DC, Khaleej Times newspaper reported.

“Muslims will make the real difference. Their commitment to their faith and their community is so differential,” he told reporters on Friday. “It will make a very positive difference towards Hillary Clinton.”

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IINA News reported that, on Sunday, an automated voice message from Khan will be called into the homes of 500,000 registered voters.

Although the number of Muslim voters is small – at about one percent – many analysts believe they will have a disproportionate influence this time. Notably, many Muslim communities are located in key battleground states such as Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Michigan.

On November 2, a Muslim advocacy group announced that one million American Muslims have registered to vote in the 2016 election, more than double the number that was recorded in 2012.

Polling data indicates that the overwhelming majority, more than 86 percent, intend to vote for Clinton.

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This stands in stark contrast to the 2000 elections between George W. Bush and Al Gore, in which 72 percent of American Muslim voters voted Republican and only eight percent Democrat.

Khan’s son, Captain Humayun Saqib Moazzam Khan, was born in the UAE in September 1976 and later moved to the U.S. with his parents.

He joined the army after graduating from the University of Virginia in 2000.

Capt. Khan was later killed while serving with the army’s 1st Infantry Division in the Iraqi city of Baqubah in 2004. He was 27 years old.

One million American Muslims have registered to vote in the 2016 election, more than double the number that was enrolled in 2012.(T/P008/R07)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)