WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is hiring Nasrina Bargzie to lead its outreach to Muslim and Arab voters, a campaign aide who first shared details of the plan with NBC News said. The move targets a key group of voters who have resented President Joe Biden over his support for Israel.
Bargzie worked in Harris’ White House office until July as a policy adviser on Muslim, Arab and Gaza-related issues, as well as reproductive rights, voting rights and democracy, the campaign official said. She will handle the same broad portfolio on the campaign trail.
Harris has recently been heckled by pro-Palestinian protesters at rallies, and Democrats are bracing for large protests during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week. Some Muslim groups critical of Biden’s policies on Israel and the Middle East have maintained that Harris is an extension of his views. But other Muslim leaders have said Harris is more sympathetic to the civilian casualties in Gaza than Biden is and is the best candidate to support in the race.
Bargzie will focus on conversations with Muslim and Arab communities, while voters wait to see whether Harris will propose a different approach to the Middle East and Israel than Biden.
“I am honored to continue my work for the vice president, advising him on a range of critical issues in this election, from democracy and reproductive rights to Muslim and Arab outreach,” Bargzie said in a statement shared with NBC News by the campaign. “I know the vice president is fundamentally committed to freedom, justice, and peace — and we will work with Americans across the country to advance those goals and fulfill the promise of America.”
Several people who knew Bargzie praised her in interviews.
“I have had the privilege of knowing Nasrina for over 20 years, since we attended Berkeley Law School together and I worked closely with her at the White House,” said Mazen Basrawi, who until June was the White House liaison to the Muslim community. “Nasrina is an exceptionally capable attorney who understands from her own life experience the trauma of war and displacement. I am confident she will do a tremendous job reaching out to Arab and Muslim communities in the United States.”
Bargzie was a refugee herself. She was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and lived in Pakistan for three years before her family was accepted into the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program in 1985.
Josh Hsu, Harris’s chief legal adviser in the White House, praised the role Bargzie will fill, saying, “The campaign will benefit tremendously from her continued work on these issues for the vice president.”
Hala Hijazi, a longtime San Francisco-based leader on issues affecting Muslim and Arab communities who now serves on the campaign’s national finance committee, added her praise. “She always leans in and tackles the toughest and most sensitive issues with integrity and fairness in mind,” Hijazi said. “She has always played an integral role in ensuring that communities without a voice and without seats at the table are heard and included.”
Harris drew criticism after she responded to a group of pro-Palestinian protesters at a rally in Detroit last week by saying, “I’m here because we believe in democracy. Every vote counts. … But I’m speaking now. I’m speaking now.”
As the protests continued, Harris’ tone became more forceful. “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, say so. Otherwise, I’ll speak,” Harris said, aided by a crowd of several thousand chanting “Kamala” to drown out the protests. Campaign officials quickly escorted the protesters out of the venue.
Days later, at a rally in Arizona, Harris was again interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. She responded differently, drawing loud applause. “I’ve been clear: Now is the time to close the ceasefire deal and close the hostage deal,” she said. “Now is the time. And the president and I are working day and night to close that ceasefire deal and bring the hostages home. So I respect your votes, but we’re here to talk about this race in 2024.”
After the Arizona rally, a national Muslim group called Abandon Biden accused Harris of using “empty rhetoric.” “Harris’s vocal and repeated position on a ceasefire and Israeli hostage deal is the same line the Biden-Harris administration has been repeating in every department for 11 months. Moreover, Harris has offered nothing more than this tired platitude,” the group said in a statement Monday.
But other Muslim leaders disagree.
The Black Muslim Leadership Council Fund, a national Muslim organization that had declared itself “non-committed” to Biden’s re-election bid, announced this month that it was endorsing Harris, seen as the first Muslim group in the non-committed camp to publicly endorse her.
Salima Suswell, the founder and CEO of the Black Muslim Leadership Council Fund, praised Harris. “She has shown more empathy for the people of Gaza than either President Biden or former President Donald Trump,” Suswell said. “She has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and I believe she has also shown empathy for civilian life and has been very caring when it comes to providing aid to the people of Gaza.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
