Kamala Wins Back Black Voter Support?
Vice President Kamala Harris has made notable strides with black voters since the recent dip in support that President Joe Biden experienced. Despite these gains, her current standing still lags behind the impressive levels of support that Biden and Harris secured in the 2020 election.
Recent data from a Washington Post-Ipsos poll conducted between August 23 and September 3 reveals that 76% of black adults are now inclined to vote for Harris, with 82% of registered black voters expressing similar intentions. These figures mark an improvement over Biden’s earlier numbers when he was the leading Democratic nominee, where only 66% of black adults and 74% of registered voters showed strong support.
However, even with these improvements, Harris’s current levels of support are still below the historic 91% of black voters who backed the Biden-Harris ticket in the 2020 presidential election, as reported by the Associated Press VoteCast.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump has experienced a decline in his support among black voters since the last poll in April. His appeal has dropped from 14% among black adults and registered black voters to 13% and 12%, respectively, according to the September survey.
Additionally, independent candidate Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein have seen their support among black voters diminish significantly. Both candidates, who previously garnered around 8% and 5% support, have seen these figures decline notably.
Black voters, while comprising only 11% of the electorate in the 2020 election, play a critical role in the Democratic coalition. Their traditional strong support has been a cornerstone for Democratic victories. However, recent polling suggests that Trump may have made inroads into this key demographic, potentially complicating the path for Democratic candidates on Election Day.
Nationally, and in the crucial swing states, the race between Harris and Trump remains highly competitive. A recent New York Times-Siena College poll shows Trump narrowly leading Harris by 48% to 47%, setting the stage for a closely watched first presidential debate between the two.
