Topline
Vice President Kamala Harris debuted an economic plan targeting Black men Monday as her campaign aims to win back voters in the key demographic that have shifted away from the Democratic Party in recent years.
Vice President Kamala Harris rallies with supporters at the Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on the … [+]
Key Facts
Harris laid out a plan designed to facilitate career opportunities, alleviate debt, lower costs and remove employment barriers for Black men, among other tools detailed in the nine-page proposal published on her website.
Harris unveiled the plan on the same day a new poll by The New York Times and Siena College showed an erosion of support for Democrats among Black voters, especially men, in recent years.
While Harris has increased support among the demographic since President Joe Biden exited the presidential race it found just 78% of Black voters said they plan to vote for Harris, a sharp decrease from the 90% who voted for Biden in 2020 and the 92% who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to figures from Pew Research cited in the Times/Siena survey.
The gap is even wider among Black men, according to the poll, which found just 70% said they will cast their ballots for Harris and 20% plan to vote for Trump, compared to 83% of Black women surveyed who said they’ll support Harris and 12% who said they plan to support Trump.
In her “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men,” Harris promises to provide 1 million fully forgivable loans up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs and “others who have historically faced barriers” to entrepreneurship, to work with Congress to pass laws encouraging businesses to de-emphasize criminal records in hiring decisions, and reform tax laws to increase profit-sharing between businesses and their employees.
The plan would also “promote meaningful pathways for those without college degrees” for 500,000 federal jobs, create new job-training programs within the private sector and increase funding for mentorship and leadership development programs.
Big Number
21%. That’s the share of Black voters who said the Democratic Party has no solutions to address obstacles to getting ahead associated with race, according to the Times/Siena survey, which found 78% of Black voters said race still poses significant hurdles to economic advancement.
Surprising Fact
Black voters’ support for Democratic presidential candidates has progressively ticked downward since its peak in 2008, when 95% of Black men and 96% of Black women voted for former President Barack Obama, according to NBC News.
Tangent
Obama addressed the gap in support for Harris among Black men while campaigning for her last week, accusing the demographic of making “all kinds of reasons and excuses” not to support her. “It makes me think . . . that you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president and that you’re coming up with other alternatives and reasons for that,” he said at an event in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The remarks prompted backlash from Black community leaders and some pundits who viewed the comments as condescending. Paul Butler, a contributing columnist for The Washington Post who writes about race and criminal justice issues, called the former president the “Scolder-in-Chief” in an opinion piece for the outlet. New York Magazine features writer Zak Cheney-Rice wrote the messaging was “further proof of [Obama’s] status as the party’s resident scold,” and The New York Times wrote that “Obama’s Admonishing Tone to Black Men Presents a Risk for Democrats.”
Key Background
Harris’ agenda targeting Black men would go after banks for hidden fees and predatory lending practices she says are barriers to affordable banking options and promote regulatory protections for cryptocurrency holders, according to the proposal, which notes more than 20% of Black Americans own or have owned crypto. The plan vows to push for the legalization of recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans in the cannabis industry. Harris also said she will launch a “National Health Equity Initiative” to address health issues that disproportionately affect Black men, including sickle cell disease, diabetes, mental health and prostate cancer. Harris unveiled the plan less than four weeks before Election Day as polls show a virtual tie between her and Trump, with approximately 25% of Black and Latino voters undecided, according to the Times/Siena poll.
Further Reading
Obama Says Black Men Should Stop Making ‘Excuses’ And Support Harris (Forbes)
Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Harris And Trump Virtually Tied In Latest Surveys As Race Tightens (Forbes)
Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Trump Keeps Lead In Arizona As Harris Holds Narrow Edge In Pennsylvania (Update) (Forbes)
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