Key Takeaways

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have launched a new initiative aimed at reinvigorating Black voters, as recent polls show a decrease in support for Biden among African American voters. The “Black Voters for Biden-Harris” campaign was kicked off in Philadelphia at Girard College, a predominantly black college preparatory school.

According to polling data from the Pew Research Center, support for Biden among Black voters has decreased since the 2020 election. While 77% of Black voters still support Biden, nearly 50% said they would replace him with another candidate if given the chance. Experts suggest that concerns over inflation, civil rights issues, and frustration with Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza may be contributing to this decline in enthusiasm.

Nadia Brown, a professor at Georgetown University, points to economic factors such as inflation hitting minority communities harder, as well as disagreements over Biden’s support of Israel in the Gaza conflict, as reasons for the waning support among Black voters. Additionally, rollbacks of civil rights under Biden’s administration and a lack of effective marketing of Biden’s successes may be turning off African American voters.

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has seized on this opportunity to criticize Biden’s handling of issues affecting Black voters, with former President Donald Trump claiming that Black voters were better off during his presidency. The Biden campaign is working to engage and earn the support of Black voters through targeted outreach efforts and initiatives aimed at addressing their concerns.