Vice President Kamala Harris faces a surprising setback as her approval rating among Black women matches that of President Biden, according to a recent poll by Split Ticket.
According to Newsweek, this finding is particularly notable given the critical role Black women played in securing Harris’s position on the ticket.
The poll, conducted from July 12 to 14, surveyed Black voters in key battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Respondents shared their views on Harris, President Biden, and former President Donald Trump.
When asked about their voting preferences for the 2024 election, 76% of Black voters indicated they would choose Biden over Trump, with 17% favoring Trump.
The gender breakdown showed 72% of Black men and 79% of Black women supporting Biden, while 12% of Black women and 23% of Black men preferred Trump.
In a hypothetical matchup between Harris and Trump, the results were similar, with Harris receiving support from 79% of Black women and 73% of Black men, compared to Trump’s 12% and 24%, respectively.
Despite the small sample size of 1,011 and a margin of error of +/-3%, the poll highlights a significant challenge for Harris.
Black voters are a cornerstone of the Democratic Party, accounting for roughly 25% of its base. Black women, in particular, have been credited with helping propel Biden to victory in the 2020 presidential election and have remained one of his most reliable support groups.
A previous poll by The Cut, conducted before the first head-to-head debate of the 2024 election cycle, showed that Biden’s support was highest among Black women aged 35 to 55, with 68% indicating they would vote for him, compared to 58% of Black women aged 18 to 34.
The survey also revealed that more Black women approved of Harris’s performance (68%) compared to Biden’s (63%).
Harris has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate, especially after Biden’s recent debate performance, where he struggled with his words and appeared to lose his train of thought.
If elected, Harris would make history as the first Black female president of the United States.
