DETROIT (WXYZ) — The night before the primary election, a group of Democrats is in Michigan rallying support. But it's not for President Joe Biden — it's for Nikki Haley.
The Primary Pivot Super PAC has traveled the country hoping to convince other Democrats to vote Republican in the primary as a strategy to beat former President Donald Trump.
In 2020 in the city of Detroit, 98% of voters cast their vote in the Democratic presidential primary. Ninety-six percent also voted in the Democratic race in the 2016 primary.
This year, some voters say they're not too thrilled with the choices.
“I feel probably like a lot of people feel right now, like our choices are between rock and a hard place," Detroit voter Julia Yezbick said. "How do you pick between two poisons?”
Yezbick is one of many Democratic voters casting their ballot as uncommitted instead of voting for Biden. Yezbick says some of that is a result of his stance on the war in Gaza.
“Even if a small gesture, I feel like by voting uncommitted, I can send a message and say you need to do better,” Yezbick said.
That's exactly the type of voter Robert Schwartz with the Primary Pivot Super PAC is targeting. He’s a Democrat urging support for Haley in the Republican primary.
“They're just trying to make a point on the Democratic side, but there's an actual race on the Republican side," Schwartz said. "So if you want to use your vote strategically, you have to vote on the Republican side.”
Schwartz has traveled the country and is in Detroit this week hoping to stop Trump from winning the nomination, despite polls suggesting Haley could be better suited to beat Biden in November.
“What I tell people, despite Nikki Haley beating Joe Biden in the polls, is if we really care about our democracy as we've said for the last nine years, we should be willing to take that risk,” Schwartz said. "We want Nikki Haley to win the nomination because we want Donald Trump to retire from his political life as soon as humanly possible.”
However, many Democrats, from the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party to regular voters, are still casting a primary vote for Biden. They feel that is the best strategy to beat Trump in November.
“In my mind, the important vote here is a vote for Joe Biden," Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes said. "A vote tomorrow and a vote again in November is how we ensure Donald trump loses.”
“I'd rather have Joe Biden in office, barely can walk talk or think, than have Donald Trump in office,” Detroit voter Phyllis Copeland said.
As for Yezbick, she already had filled out her absentee ballot application to request a Democratic ballot. While she's not supporting Biden in this election, despite her objections, she says she may have to vote for the current president come November.
"If I’m given the choice between the two obvious candidates, I will vote Democrat," Yezbick said. "But, not happy with either of them.”
A Trump spokesperson released the following statement on Saturday:
"She can’t name one state she can win, let alone be competitive in. The fact is that Haley’s campaign has now turned into a full-fledged Never Trump operation with her as Crooked Joe Biden’s biggest surrogate."
