EXCLUSIVE — Three councilmen for the Muslim-majority city of Hamtramck are endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in defiance of its mayor, who grabbed national headlines for his support of former President Donald Trump.
Mohammed Hassan, a longtime member of the council, held an event Sunday night in which he and two other councilmen, Mohammed Alsomiri and Muhith Mahmood, offered their support to Harris. The city,
home to a large Yemeni and Bangladeshi population in Detroit, Michigan, is represented by six councilmen.
The event, which brought an estimated 250 people to Radhuni Restaurant, was organized in direct response to Mayor Amer Ghalib’s surprise announcement last month that he would back Trump in the presidential race.
Since then, Hassan has been gathering support for Harris in coordination with Detroit Councilman Scott Benson, with the message that Trump cannot be “trusted” and would permit Israel to wage its war in Gaza with fewer restrictions than Harris would.
“He’s only the mayor,” Hassan told the Washington Examiner on Monday. “It’s only his decision.”
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In total, Hassan announced the endorsement of a dozen community leaders for Harris, among them Rep. Abraham Aiyash, who represents Hamtramck in the Michigan House. The remaining leaders include Anam Miah, the former mayor pro tempore of Hamtramck; Nayeem Choudhury, a former councilman; and several officials and candidates for office in Warren, Michigan.
Hassan told the Washington Examiner he has been in regular contact with Ed Duggan, Harris’s campaign point person in Michigan. He plans to hold additional events to galvanize the Bangladeshi community, including an event in Warren this coming Sunday.