Rainey Center And Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) Release New Poll Of Muslim American Voters

Washington, DC - September 15, 2024 — Today, the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy released a new Rainey Center poll commissioned by the Muslim American Leadership Alliance confirms that while American Muslims lean Democratic, several key issues could make them winnable for the GOP.

These issues include crime, immigration, transgender rights, and school choice. Conservatives could make inroads by emphasizing these topics, particularly given the alignment between American Muslims and Republicans on many social values.

There is substantial support for the thesis that many American Muslims are closer to Republicans on social issues and hold moderate views on others. However, the primary challenge remains the perception that Republicans are discriminatory or hostile toward Muslims, which impedes broader engagement. Bernie Sanders' popularity with American Muslims shows that respectful engagement is critical and acknowledgement of Muslims as part of America, instead of being ignored as an “alien group” whose presence is barely worthy of acknowledgement beyond fear of terrorism regardless of policy alignment.

“Muslim Americans are not a monolith,” said Sarah Hunt, President of the Rainey Center. “On many issues they hold conservative views on the issues. Both parties should work to put forward a vision of the country consistent with these crucial American voters.”

“Our poll findings indicate that Muslim Americans much more nuanced in their outlook than is typically appreciated. A significant bloc of Muslims lean Republican, and even across party lines there are major concerns about illegal immigration, crime, and the economy,” said Zainab Zeb Khan, President & Founder of MALA, “Muslims are hardly single-issue voters, and it is a mistake to stereotype Muslim Americans around political, social, and foreign policy issues. Muslim Americans deserve to be respected by both Republicans and Democrats as a diverse mosaic of voters who are up for grabs.”

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About The Rainey Center

The Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy is a post-partisan 501 (c)3 think tank and leadership development community founded on the values of equality, freedom and a more perfect union. Named for Representative Joseph Rainey, a former slave and the first African-American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Rainey Center was founded in 2018 with the goal of empowering the voices of women, minorities and mavericks in public policy. For more information, visit www.raineycenter.org.

About MALA:

Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to empowering American values of individual freedom, patriotism & recognition for the dynamic contributions of Muslim Americans. Its “Muslim American Journeys” project collected and archived over 1,000 personal narratives, with many of the oral histories housed in the national Library of Congress and shared on national media outlets. In 2019, it launched “Muslim American Heritage”, a civic engagement and educational program that established a national Muslim American Heritage Month observed in January, with formal recognition from states such as IL, IN, NC, NJ, and MI. MALA’s work promoting women’s empowerment and economic liberty was recently recognized by NASDAQ, as it was the first Muslim American organization to ring the iconic opening bell on March 8th, 2024. Learn more at www.MALAnational.org and across all social media handles @MALAnational.