VOLUME LVIII – Number 2

Lucas Brinson

Abstract: Since the Vietnam War, foreign policy has periodically emerged as a wedge issue in U.S. presidential elections, shaping voter behavior and international relations. This study examines the importance of foreign policy in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, focusing on its role as a micro-wedge issue—a localized political difference that affects electoral outcomes in key battleground states. During the 2024 election the Israel-Palestine conflict influenced Arab American and Muslim support in Michigan, leading to shifts in voter turnout and party allegiance, while efforts to use U.S. policy toward Ukraine as a wedge issue among Polish and Ukrainian Americans in Pennsylvania failed to gain traction. By drawing on historical case studies, polling data, and voter trends, this paper presents how foreign policy’s electoral impact is increasingly localized, reinforcing the idea that global issues only shape voter behavior when they have a direct and personal relevance to American communities. As the United States navigates its evolving role in global affairs, the strategic use of foreign policy as a micro-wedge issue will continue to shape both domestic politics and international relations.

Key Words: Elections, U.S presidential elections 2024, Voters, Voters issues, Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Vietnam, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris

About the Author: Lucas Brinson is a senior at Towson University, where he majors in Political Science and minors in Japanese Language. Engaged in undergraduate research, Lucas focuses on wedge issues, presidential elections, foreign policy, and international relations. His work examines the relations of domestic politics and international relations, particularly the influence of wedge issues on electoral outcomes.

click here for previous article | click here for full article | click here for full issue | click here to go to the next article