Advocates Push for Greater Focus on Black Male Voters in 2024 Election as Concerns are Dismissed by Political Parties

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : Advocates Call for Increased Focus on Black Male Voters in 2024 Election

Advocates are urging political leaders to prioritize Black male voters in order to ensure their active participation in the upcoming 2024 election. These advocates argue that the concerns and issues faced by Black men are often overlooked and dismissed by political parties.

Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voter Project, stated that there has never been a time when Black men’s issues were given significant attention by any political party. He emphasized that candidates tend to only engage with Black men during election campaigns and disappear once the votes are counted, leaving many feeling that their participation is merely transactional.

“These brothers don’t see themselves represented or cared about in the political space,” Robinson told The Hill. “They don’t hear people advocating for what’s important to them.”

This lack of representation and engagement may be one of the reasons why Black men tend to vote less frequently. According to a 2022 poll by KFF and theGrio, Black voters are more likely to be older and 57 percent of Black voters are women. These voters have identified top concerns such as the economy, racism, and gun violence, which align closely with the concerns of Black men, according to Waikinya Clanton, Mississippi state office director for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“Black men are facing higher unemployment rates, struggling to support their families, and striving to be supportive members of their communities,” Clanton explained.

However, the Democratic Party has not effectively addressed these issues, with recent focuses on topics such as abortion and LGBTQ rights, according to Darryn Harris, former chief of staff to former Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and a candidate for California state Senate. Harris pointed out that Republicans have been more successful in speaking to the concerns of Black men, which has contributed to their increased support from this demographic in recent elections.

Exit polling from Edison Research revealed that while over 60 percent of eligible Black voters cast their ballots in 2020, there was a decrease in voter turnout among Black men in the 2022 elections. Furthermore, former President Donald Trump witnessed an increase in support from Black voters, with his support among Black men rising from 8 percent in 2016 to 12 percent in 2020.

“What the Republicans do well is their messaging around the economy,” Harris explained, emphasizing issues such as soaring inflation and the lack of progress on a minimum wage law. “Republicans are talking about the economy and upward mobility within their communities, and I think that message resonates very strongly with Black men.”

This messaging has also resonated with Black leaders. In 2020, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was elected to Congress and even ran as a candidate for House Speaker. Additionally, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the only Black Republican in the Senate, launched a presidential campaign, although he recently suspended it.

Some state leaders who previously identified as Democrats have also changed their party affiliation. For instance, in July, Georgia state Rep. Mesha Mainor, who represents part of Atlanta, defected to the Republican Party, while in September, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson announced his switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

A New York Times/Siena College poll found that 22 percent of Black voters in six battleground states expressed their support for former President Trump in the upcoming election. However, some experts doubt the accuracy of these numbers.

“The idea that 20 percent of Black men are going to support Trump – that was borne out of Trump saying that he’s gonna get 20 percent,” Robinson argued. “They said the same thing about [former President George W. Bush]. Twenty percent of Black men supporting Republicans never bears out.”

Robinson believes that these polls are flawed, as the questions asked are not culturally competent. He explained that when Black men express their agreement with public safety, they are often misunderstood as supporting more police officers. However, their definition of public safety aligns more closely with the idea of policing Black men in a manner similar to white individuals, which would require fewer police officers. In this sense, their perspective is closer to the concept of defunding the police.

Despite these challenges, the Biden campaign has made efforts to engage with Black men by launching radio ads on Black-owned stations in battleground states and making appearances at barbershops. However, Harris believes that these forms of engagement are overplayed.

“Folks want to see the Biden campaign engaged in their community,” Harris stated. “I think that right after being sworn in, they should have been setting up grassroots captains in targeted areas to maintain a relationship with the voter.”

Harris believes that traditional methods, such as knocking on doors, phone banking, and text messaging, are more effective in mobilizing Black men. He emphasized the importance of the White House establishing a deeper relationship with this demographic.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is the “savior complex” exhibited by leaders when engaging with communities, as highlighted by Clanton. She emphasized the need to move away from accusatory tones and truly understand the heart of the issues faced by these communities. Clanton stated that the problem lies not with the people but with the broken promises made by leaders.

Harris called on Democrats, especially President Biden, to improve their messaging ahead of the 2024 election if they want to mobilize Black men. He believes that the Democratic Party already has a solid base, but they need to better promote the issues that affect the Black community and demonstrate their commitment.

Harris also noted that Black men are more critical of the Democratic Party due to unfulfilled promises, rather than being drawn towards the Republican Party. He argued that Black men do not trust Republicans, particularly due to their struggles in addressing racial justice issues. As a result, he stated that Black men are becoming disenchanted with both parties and may choose to abstain from voting altogether.

In conclusion, advocates are calling for political leaders to prioritize Black male voters and address their concerns in order to ensure their active participation in the 2024 election. They argue that Black men have historically been overlooked and their issues dismissed, leading to a lack of engagement and representation. By addressing the concerns of Black men and establishing deeper relationships with this demographic, political parties can work towards increasing voter turnout and fostering a sense of trust and inclusivity..