DEARBORN — While the bigotry created by the political rhetoric of the Republican presidential candidates has pushed Arab Americans away from the Republican Party to the Democratic side, many are divided on whether Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton has the best interests of Arab Americans in mind.

Some local Arab Americans maintain that Clinton is the best candidate for president, arguing she is more electable, has more experience and has a better chance of defeating Republican candidate Donald Trump than Sanders would.

Ibrahim Aljahim, a Yemeni American activist in Hamtramck, said Clinton would the best choice among the current candidates to become president because her policies would be a continuation of President Obama’s. Many Arab Americans consider Obama’s policies on issues of foreign policy and healthcare to be beneficial to the county.

“This election is more about the future – the next 20 to 30 years. It’s not just about the next four to eight years,” Aljahim said.

He added that because of Obama’s foreign policy, a war with Iran did not occur while Clinton served as secretary of state during the president’s first term.

The activist added that while Sanders, 74, is older, Clinton has more experience and connections to make sound decisions as commander-in-chief.

He added that while she was the first lady and later senator from New York, Clinton forged strong relationships with the Arab American communities.

Most importantly, Aljahim said he thinks Clinton will be the Democratic nominee, making her the natural choice for Arab Americans.

Fay Beydoun, third vice chair for the Michigan Democratic Party, said she thinks Clinton is more electable than Sanders.

While Sanders is more attractive to America’s youth, “Hillary has had the experience, she has the support, she knows exactly how to get elected as president,” Beydoun said.

She added that Clinton has explicitly come out in support of Muslim Americans in her speeches, has met with Imams and Muslim activists and has met several times with Arab American leaders during her campaign, including in Minnesota and Nevada.

“Muslim Americans, this is your country, too,” Clinton said in a statement following Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.. “I’m proud to be your fellow American. And many, many other Americans feel the same way.”

However, Beydoun added that she acknowledges there will not be a candidate who is completely aligned with Arab Americans on Middle Eastern issues.

She said Arab Americans are going to have to evaluate which candidate is the best one to work with.

“At the same time, [we] also make sure that at least this person is gonna give us a seat around the table, so we’re able to voice our opinions.”

Sam Khaldi, head of the Dearborn Democratic Club, echoed Beydoun’s sentiments and said he will be voting for Clinton, seeing her as more electable than Sanders.

Connie Younes, a retired healthcare administrator from Oakland County, said that one of the main differences between Sanders and Clinton is that while the former supports Arab Americans and issues they care about, the latter goes beyond talking about support to implementing action.

According to her, Sanders’ support but inaction on issues like the Flint water crisis makes him unfit as president, compared to Clinton, who has taken steps to assist the city in resolving the disaster.

Younes added that even before serving as an elected official, Clinton fought “tooth and nail” for healthcare reform.

According to Younes, Clinton has built relationships with politicians from both parties and can more easily get Republicans to work with her to pass bills that benefit the country’s entire population.