U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris seeks to stem her decline in support from black men in a closely contested presidential election by unveiling a series of economic proposals aimed at empowering them and encouraging them to vote. There is.
Harris, the Democratic candidate for next month’s election, on Monday introduced the Opportunity Policy for Black Men, which aims to give black men a better chance to prosper, as she seeks to energize key voting blocs. .
The proposal includes $1 million in small business loan forgiveness and a promise to legalize recreational marijuana and ensure Black entrepreneurs have access to the new industry.
The announcement comes weeks before Harris faces Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election, as her campaign grows increasingly concerned about losing support among black men. Ta.
A recent poll found that 70% of black male voters said they supported Harris, down from the 85% who supported US President Joe Biden in the last election four years ago.
Young black men in particular are leaving the Democratic Party, frustrated that their experiences are not reflected in policy as much as other groups.
It’s unclear how many of those voters will turn to Harris’ rival, Trump, or simply drop out of the race. The former president has courted black voters by promising to crack down on immigration, saying he cannot afford to lose jobs to migrants crossing the border.
More than a quarter of young black men say they will support Trump in the election, according to a recent poll by the NAACP, one of the nation’s largest black civil rights organizations.
“Black men have long believed that too often their voices go unheard in our political process, and that there is too much untapped ambition and leadership within the Black male community,” the Harris campaign said in a statement. I’ve felt it for a while,” he said.
Other proposals introduced in the campaign include increasing access to the crypto industry for Black Americans and supporting Black men dealing with diseases such as sickle cell anemia that disproportionately impact their communities. This includes launching a focused National Health Equity Initiative.
Harris campaign co-chairman and former Louisiana congressman Cedric Richmond, who is black, said Harris “wants to build an economy with the tools for black men to thrive.” Do business and build wealth. ”
Sexism or resentment?
Harris has sought to downplay her identity during her campaign, but if elected, she would become the second black president and the first female president.
The vice president’s approval rating among black women remains high, at about 83%.
But last week, former President Barack Obama, one of the Democratic Party’s most popular figures, urgently called on black men to abandon the “excuses” and vote for Harris, undermining sluggish support among some. suggested that it may be related to sexism.
President Obama said some black men “don’t feel comfortable with the idea of having a woman as president.”
“I’m sorry, gentlemen. I’ve noticed this, especially among some men who seem to think that Trump’s actions, bullying and degrading people, are a sign of strength. I’m here to tell you that real strength is not like that,” he told a rally in Pennsylvania.
“True strength lies in helping those who need it and standing up for those who cannot always stand up for themselves.”
But some blacks were outraged by President Obama’s comments. Nina Turner, a senior fellow at the Institute for Race, Power, and Political Economy, said on social media: “It’s wrong to single out black men, even though they are the Democratic Party’s most loyal male voting group.” “There is,” he said.
Harris told her campaign staff that she needs to do more outreach to black men, including rallies and events that put them front and center.
But while the new plan is aimed at catering to black people, she seeks to emphasize how her economic proposals will benefit all men.
The campaign is also working to increase support from other male voters, including Hispanics, by creating a Spanish-language group called “Men for Harris” called Hombres con Harris.
Harris’ team plans to organize gender-specific rallies, as her campaign has done with groups.
This includes “Black Men Huddle Up” events in battleground states featuring African American male celebrities for NFL and NCAA football game watch parties. The campaign also plans new testimonial ads featuring the voices of local black men in battleground states.
On Monday, it began airing new ads in Philadelphia that appear to be aimed at addressing the sexism that President Obama cited.
“She’s had our back since day one,” said the ad’s narrator. “Let’s be honest and have a reality check. Women know how to make things happen.”
Discussions about the extent to which misogyny plays a role in some black men not supporting Harris avoid a broader discussion of how black men engage in politics as full citizens. argued Philip Agnew, founder of the grassroots political group Black Men Build.
“To be black in America is to be both invisible and hypervisible, and neither of those are human perspectives,” Agnew said, adding that the black men he spoke with added that he was expressing his anger at politics. It’s a sentiment shared by many Americans.
“The black men I know are very concerned about the lives of our families and our communities.”