A group of Black voters told MSNBC they each know a Black man committed to voting for Trump over Kamala Harris in November.
MSNBC legal analyst Charles Coleman led a roundtable with four Black male voters about the upcoming election. The discussion aired on a network special over the weekend.
“How many of you know a Black man who has expressed to you that they’re committed to voting for Donald Trump?” Coleman asked in the special, “Black Men in America: The Road to 2024.”
All four men raised their hands. Coleman then asked, “Has the emergence of Kamala Harris changed that?” They replied, “No.”
One man said his friend was voting for Trump because of the “stimulus checks.” Another mentioned concerns about “interest rates,” believing Trump would lower them. They felt, “I just need that guy in there,” he told Coleman.
Coleman shared his biggest takeaway: Black voters are “not a monolith.” He discussed the range of perspectives and the impact of Harris entering the race.
“I heard from young people not wowed by Kamala Harris as a Black woman,” Coleman said. Their frame of reference for the presidency is President Obama.
Some Black voters feel pressure to support Harris regardless of her platform. “There’s a sense to just get on the bandwagon because she’s a Black woman,” Coleman observed.
In another segment, Coleman asked if they felt a community obligation to support Harris. Corey Alexander, a teacher, responded, “Significantly. We’ve seen that push to rally behind her.” He added, “The Biden administration forgiving my wife’s student loans solidified my vote.”
Curt Quillen, in financial management, felt questioning Harris’ positions makes one a “villain.” “It’s like you’re anti-something for questioning,” he said. The tight election timeline limits in-depth conversations, forcing quick decisions.
MSNBC host Joy Reid said Black people would look “real weird” if they don’t vote for Harris in November. When asked if Harris could defeat Trump, three out of four participants said yes. The fourth replied, “I want her to, but I don’t think so.”
The Democratic Party has long had strong support among Black voters, but Trump is chipping away at this key demographic. Biden won 87% of the Black vote in 2020, compared to Trump’s 12%. However, Biden’s support among Black and Hispanic voters was slipping before he announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.
A Fox News Poll in early July showed 69% of Black voters would vote for Harris against Trump. New surveys suggest Harris could improve on Biden’s numbers with Black voters against Trump.