A new report in The New York Times is shedding new light on how Black voters feel about Vice President Harris leading the Democratic Party months away from the November election.
Michael Kearney Jr., a community organizer from Charleston, S.C., acknowledges that he has reservations about Kamala Harris’s background as a prosecutor. However, after President Biden withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed her as his successor, Mr. Kearney put his concerns aside and decided to support her financially.
“I’m all the way in,” declared Mr. Kearney, 41, who said he sent $20 to Ms. Harris’s campaign this week.
Nathan Gaines, a 43-year-old barber and Army veteran from Milwaukee, had been considering voting for Donald J. Trump, whom he affectionately refers to as “Big T,” despite having consistently supported Democrats since Barack Obama’s presidency.
However, the possibility of Kamala Harris leading the ticket has made him reconsider. Mr. Gaines now says he is open to at least giving her a chance.
“If Kamala steps up, that would change history,” he said. “I’d give her a shot.”
Black voters propelled Mr. Biden’s candidacy in 2020. And many remained loyal to him even after his dismal debate performance last month. But, like other Americans, their doubts about his ability to lead the party’s ticket were growing before he bowed out of the race on Sunday.
As Kamala Harris becomes the likely Democratic nominee, many Black voters are viewing the upcoming election with a renewed sense of hope, seeing it as an opportunity to break historical barriers and elect a Black president for the third time in 16 years. However, this enthusiasm is mixed with concerns, as revealed in interviews nationwide.
Some Black voters are worried about the potential backlash Harris might face in an increasingly polarized political environment. Others stress that their support is not guaranteed; Harris will need to earn their votes. Despite her tenure as vice president over the past three and a half years, some feel she remains relatively unfamiliar to the broader public and believe she needs to define herself more clearly.
Historically, Black voters have consistently supported Democrats since the civil rights era, with 92 percent backing Joe Biden in 2020. However, recent polls indicate a shift, with approximately 15 percent of Black voters now expressing support for Donald Trump, an increase from the 2020 election. (According to the 2020 census, Black people make up 14.2 percent of the U.S. population.)
In discussions, Black voters acknowledge that past criticisms of Harris still resonate. Nonetheless, many believe she now has a chance to redefine herself and address concerns about her stance on a criminal justice system that disproportionately affects Black communities.
“The shoulders on which we stand, generations of Americans before us led the fight for freedom and now, Wisconsin, the baton is in our hands,” Harris said at a Wisconsin rally Tuesday. “We who believe in the sacred freedom to vote will make sure every American has the ability to cast their ballot and have it counted.”
