Biden’s Undecided Black Voters Are Willing To Give Kamala Harris A Chance To Win Their Support
Black voters who were on the fence about voting for President Joe Biden in November 2024 are now hopeful that Vice President Kamala Harris will win them over.
A poll showed Harris was on the right track to outbeat Trump among Black voters more than Biden, even before she was selected as a nominee. One voter from Boston admitted that he was reluctant to vote for Biden in 2020, but after his disastrous performance in the June 2024 debate, Jason Amos decided to leave the Biden train. “It just became very clear to me that this is not a tenable solution for taking on Trump,” Amos said.
“I felt like this was really the only clear way forward.”
Amos said he was glad to see Biden “pass the torch,” as the President said during his Presidential Address on Jul. 24. Thomishia Booker shared similar hope for her Alpha Kappa Alpha soror but still isn’t all the way sold. The 39-year-old children’s book author is still concerned on where Harris stands on specific issues. “It definitely feels like a better choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s a perfect choice,” Booker said.
“I wonder what her thoughts and views, and perspectives on Palestine and other issues are. She’s been the right hand to the President, so we need to hear where she is and make sure we’re holding her accountable.”
In April 2024, Black Enterprise reported that Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict played a massive role in a decrease in Black voter support for the President. Rising inflation was also listed as a reason for concern. As several were forced to work two or more jobs to make ends meet, Black voters threatened to shift their support toward other alternatives, like independent candidates.
According to the Associated Press, voters are concerned that Harris’ race will be her demise in the poll booth. “People really don’t like women, especially Black women,” Mary Jameson of Georgia said. “If a white woman can’t win, how can a Black woman win?”
A poll from AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that only 3 in 10 Americans feel skepticism about Harris being in the Oval Office. However, nearly 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would succeed as president.
Younger generation voters are excited about Harris’s appointment, highlighting her background as an HBCU student and her age.
“I wasn’t super excited about Biden, and this could be a fresh slate. Since she’s younger than Biden, I think she can relate more to younger generations, as well as older generations,” Macayla Jones, 24, said.
“I’ve seen Kamala interact with influencers I follow on social media and being featured on podcasts. I’m not saying you need that to be president, but I think that she maybe has a better grasp of what my generation might want policywise.”
Black-centered groups like BlackPAC and Win For Black Women have quickly come together to support Harris and the Democratic Party. During a ZOOM call on Jul. 21, more than 40,000 Black women, including leading political leaders, raised over $1 million for the Harris campaign. BlackPAC’s executive director, Adrianne Shropshire, feels the lack of support stemmed from a lack of information and hope, but the Vice President’s candidacy is inspirational. “Folks are starting to tune in now more to the election overall. Folks are starting to learn more about the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration,” Shropshire said.”
“People feel like, ‘OK, we have something aspirational.’ There’s something we can hold on to. We know we’re going to vote against Donald Trump, and this is something we can really grab onto.”