 | |
| Formation | 2012; 14 years ago (2012) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Saba Ahmed |
| Legal status | 501(c)(4)nonprofit organization |
| Purpose | Muslim activism |
Region served | United States |
President | Saba Ahmed |
| Website | Official website |
TheRepublican Muslim Coalition (RMC), is anAmerican Muslim politicaladvocacy group established in 2012.[1] RMC works to build ties between theAmerican Muslim community and theRepublican Party in theUnited States and elevate American Muslim voices inAmerican Politics.[2] The founder and president of RMC is lawyerSaba Ahmed.[3]
The founder and president of RMC,Saba Ahmed, left theDemocratic Party in 2011.[3] She has stated that she started the Republican Muslim Coalition in 2012 after finding that many of her views, such as her stanceagainst abortion rights and her support for low taxes, were consistent with the "traditional" Republican platforms.[1] At the same time, she has acknowledged the challenge ofIslamophobia within theRepublican Party.[1]
In 2015, the RMC called for tougher action against theIslamic State following theNovember 2015 Paris attacks, insisting that the group did not representIslam.[4] Following PresidentDonald Trump's proposal for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the United States, Ahmed challenged Trump to attend an Islamic prayer service at amosque.[5]
In 2016, Ahmed urgedMuslim Americans to vote Republican.[3] In 2017, she said she was "deeply hurt by Donald Trump's ignorant views of Islam."[6]
Six days after theSeptember 11 attacks, President Bush made a public appearance atWashington, D.C.'s largest Islamic Center where he acknowledged the "incredibly valuable contribution" ofAmerican Muslims and called for them "to be treated with respect".[7] Numerous incidents of harassment andhate crimes against Muslims andSouth Asians were reported in the days following the attacks.[8][9][10] On national television, Bush quoted from theQur'an and worked to assure Americans that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful.[11]
During the2024 United States presidential election,Donald Trump reached out to Muslim and Arab-American communities inMichigan as part of his bid for re-election aspresident of the United States. A major motive for Michigan's Muslim leaders to endorse Trump was his commitment to bring peace to theMiddle East, particularly inLebanon, theGaza Strip, and thePalestinian territories ofWest Bank andEast Jerusalem.[12]
In the2000 Presidential election, 78 percent of Muslim Americans supported Republican candidateGeorge W. Bush over Democratic candidateAl Gore.[13] However, due to the wars that took place inAfghanistan and inIraq, and due to what has been perceived as increased anti-Muslim rhetoric from the Republican Party after theSeptember 11 attacks,[14][15] support for the Republican Party among American Muslims has declined sharply.
By2004, Bush's Muslim support had been reduced to under 1%, and Democratic candidateJohn Kerry's support rose to 93%, with 5% voting forRalph Nader.[16][17]
According to a 2018 poll from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, American Muslims were as satisfied with the American trajectory as the general public, reporting at around 27%. Regarding the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, Muslims are the least likely to approve of him across all faith groups including non affiliated Americans. This is particularly due to the deeply unpopular policies likerecognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and theMuslim travel ban (Executive order 13769).[18]
During the2024 United States presidential election, An August 2024 survey published by theCouncil on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) found that inMichigan, 40 percent of Muslim voters supported Stein, 18% supported Trump and 12% supported Harris.[19] In CAIR's exit poll, published on November 8th, 53% of Muslims voted for the Green Party candidate,Jill Stein. Only 20% of Muslims voted for Harris and only 21% voted for Trump.[20]
| Election year | Republican |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 78% |
| 2004 | <1% |
| 2008 | 2% |
| 2012 | 4% |
| 2016 | 13% |
| 2020 | 19% |
| 2024 | 21% |
P17 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).