Prominent Democrat Admits Concern Over Black Men Backing Trump

As the 2024 election approaches, Democratic leaders are facing a significant challenge: growing support for Donald Trump among black men. Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC), a longtime Democratic heavyweight, voiced his concern on Sunday during an interview on CNN's State of the Union, highlighting the potential impact of this shift on the Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign.

“Yes, I am concerned about the black men staying home or voting for Trump,” Clyburn admitted, just weeks before the election. His comments come in the wake of polling that shows one-in-four black men are backing Trump for president, a stark warning sign for Democrats who have long relied on overwhelming support from black voters.

Clyburn's remarks were triggered by a report that Harris’ campaign would be rolling out policies specifically targeting black men, after noting that Trump has made significant inroads with the demographic. During one of his campaign rallies, Trump highlighted his success: “I love black men. I love them! I have gone through the roof with black men,” he said, while admitting his numbers with black women were lower.

• Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who has campaigned with Clyburn, echoed similar concerns, citing that many black men feel "Democrats take us for granted", while Trump’s direct messaging is resonating.

• A recent NAACP poll revealed that 25% of black men now support Trump, a critical demographic shift that could spell trouble for Democrats in key swing states.

Clyburn, credited with saving Joe Biden's 2020 campaign by rallying black voters, acknowledged the challenge of keeping black men on the Democratic ticket. While he remains confident, the fact that Trump is gaining traction among a group the Democrats once comfortably counted on is causing unease within the party.

Adding to the tension, former President Barack Obama recently suggested that black men might be turning away from Harris due to misogyny. "Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president," Obama speculated.

Trump’s campaign quickly fired back, with the "Black Men for Trump Advisory Board" issuing a statement condemning Harris’ record. Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Wesley Hunt (R-TX) led the charge, stating: “It’s demeaning to suggest that we can’t evaluate a candidate’s track record especially when Kamala Harris has done more harm than good to Black communities.”

As election day looms, this shifting landscape is a reality the Democrats can no longer afford to ignore. The question now is whether Harris and the Biden administration can reverse this trend, or if Trump’s message will continue to peel away a critical voting bloc.

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