Democrats are concerned that not enough Black voters will turn out in key swing states, so they’re increasing their efforts to get them to vote.
The Black Men Vote PAC is spending $4 million to encourage Black men in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. They plan to use social media, radio ads, and door-to-door canvassing in predominantly Black areas to promote Harris’ accomplishments.
This focus highlights how critical these states are, as they often have very close election results. After the 2016 election, some analysts believed that the Democrats’ failure to get enough Black voters to the polls may have cost them the victory. While Black voters generally support Democrats, recent polls suggest that support among Black men has softened.
“Black men can make the difference between winning and losing,” said Frank White, co-founder and board chair of Black Men Vote PAC. White, a major Democratic donor, supported Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris in previous campaigns.
The PAC has been working to engage Black men in cities like Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. They believe that many Black men feel disillusioned with the electoral process and doubt that voting will improve their lives.
So far, Black Men Vote has spent over $6 million this cycle on civic engagement, including a program that trains barbers to encourage their customers to register to vote. Their goal is to register 100,000 voters, focusing on Black men in these three battleground states, and they are nearly 80% of the way there.
The group hopes to build on the excitement surrounding Harris since she joined the ticket. “Kamala is a better investment,” White said, noting that interest had been lower when Biden was the nominee.
A recent survey by HIT Strategies, commissioned by the PAC, found that 69% of registered Black men have a favorable opinion of Harris, and 66% plan to support her, compared to 17% who support former President Donald Trump. When Black women are included, Trump’s support drops to just 10% among Black voters.
The survey also showed that 54% of Black voters feel more motivated to vote because of Harris’ nomination.
Throughout this election cycle, Trump has tried to appeal to Black voters, highlighting his role in passing the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform law, while criticizing Harris’ record as a prosecutor.
However, the PAC’s poll found that 84% of Black men in battleground states trust Harris more than Trump on criminal justice reform.
Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, an organization that mobilizes Black voters, believes Harris has a winning issue with criminal justice reform. He thinks that as more young Black men hear about the differences between Harris and Trump, her support will grow.
Earlier this month, Harris’ campaign hired HIT Strategies. Roshni Nedungadi, a founding partner at HIT, confirmed that the survey for Black Men Vote PAC was completely separate from their work on the Harris campaign.