It appears that the Democrats’ strategy of getting black voters to support Vice President Kamala Harris based on their race and gender appears to have failed. A modern poll shows the vice president losing significant ground among black voters, a trend that could cost her the election.
A New York Times/Siena College poll Polls conducted between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5 showed that while she is certain to win a majority of the Black vote, she falls far miniature of the amount President Joe Biden received in the 2020 election. Only about 78 percent of black voters said they planned to vote for Harris. This is a significant decline from Biden, who won 90 percent of the black vote four years ago.
Things are already not looking good for Harris.
But from there the numbers get even worse.
The poll also shows that 15 percent of Black voters plan to support former President Donald Trump at the ballot box. If true, it would be an enhance of six percentage points compared to 2020.
Harris’ low support among black voters could have a crucial impact on the outcome of the upcoming race – particularly in swing states like Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan, where black turnout can play a crucial role in the election outcome.
The numbers become even more compelling when you separate them by gender. About 83 percent of Black women said they supported Harris, compared to 70 percent of Black men who said the same. “Mr. Biden’s decline in 2020 numbers among black men is striking; “70 percent said they would vote for Ms. Harris in November, up from 85 percent in 2020,” the New York Times said.
Researchers discovered deep frustration with the Democratic Party among younger black voters who believe the party has failed to deliver on its promises. “Forty percent of African-American voters under 30 said the Republican Party was more likely to keep its election commitments than the Democrats,” the report said.
Related: It turns out that Obama’s comments got even worse – he even insults black men who are divided over Kamala
The thrill is gone: Barack Obama’s scolding of black men being set on fire by prominent African Americans
LaPage Drake, a 63-year-old black man from Cedar Hill, Texas, told the New York Times that Democrats “sweep table scraps off the table like we’re a trained dog and say, ‘This is for you.’
He explained to the news outlet why he decided to support Trump. “No matter how people call him racist and stuff, he’s for the country of America,” he said.
The decline in Black support for the Democratic candidate could potentially shift the balance in 2024 and hand Trump a victory.
Aware of the position he finds himself in, Harris’ campaign has sought to gain a foothold with black voters through outreach efforts at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and community events in key states. But that may not be enough to reverse this trend — especially given the economic concerns that disproportionately affect Black voters. “Nearly three-quarters of black voters rated the economy as mediocre or poor,” according to the New York Times.
With less than a month until Election Day, it may be too tardy for Team Harris to reverse that trend. Still, the outcome of this race will depend on whether Harris can improve her standing with black voters in the coming weeks.
