African American Voters Hesitant After Feeling Let Down

african american citizen voting near stand with vote lettering

(RepublicanPress.org) – In the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden received a stunning 92% of the Black vote in America. The demographic was instrumental in shoeing the US leader into the White House. However, a recent poll from CBS News showed that number was now only at 76%. While March is still very early in the presidential race, the percentage should set off alarm bells for Democrats. Leaders in the Black community state that the Biden campaign needs to step up its messaging if it wants a 2020-like turnout at the ballot box this November.

What Happened?

CBS News recently interviewed more than 12 Black voters and organizers in battleground states who all indicated they weren’t happy about the impending rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump. The lack of enthusiasm raised fears that more people in the community will opt out of voting this fall.

While the group praised the president for his record and policies over the last three years, the voters said Biden needs to do a better job at communicating his wins. They feel he should meet more frequently with Black groups and organizations and be more accessible by using bigger venues in battleground states.

Some Black leaders in Michigan were disappointed with the president’s recent visit because he was supposed to visit a Black church but didn’t. They called it a “missed opportunity.” While they admitted Biden “made efforts” and seemed very aware of the issues facing the community, they encouraged him to make an effort to include “voices that were missed” next time around.

What Does Biden Need to Do?

Former Atlanta educator Tina Metcalf said, “He’s getting there,” but he needs to “let people see him get out” more. Karen Weaver, the former mayor of Flint, Michigan, stated that too many voters are asking for reminders about Biden’s accomplishments. The fact that they’re asking shows the president needs to tout his wins louder to the community so they are at the top of his mind.

Collective PAC founder Quentin James said Black voters are excited about Biden’s initiatives like student loan forgiveness and capping insulin prices, but the problem is that they haven’t felt the full effect yet. He said that’s one of the problems with “making big, long-term policies.”

Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) recently told “Face the Nation” that it’s still early in the race. He believes Black voters will ultimately see the presidential election as a “binary choice,” and the community will turn toward Biden because Trump is turning them away with his words.

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