‘Black men can be the difference between winning and losing,’ said Black Men PAC co-founder Frank White.
Black Men PAC is preparing to spend $4 million in an effort to drive Black men to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in several swing states.
According to Politico, the group plans to spotlight Harris’ record and achievements using a social media campaign and a campaigning drive in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania which will involve door knockers and radio advertising.
Frank White, the co-founder and board chair of Black Men PAC, told the outlet that he believes that Black men could be the difference between a Harris win or a Trump win.
“Black men can be the difference between winning and losing.” White said, before he acknowledged that the emergence of Harris as a candidate made for a better return on their investment. “Kamala is a better investment.” White noted.
According to The Associated Press, Black men have emerged as a key constituency in the upcoming election and although they historically tend to vote Democrat, they are seen by both political parties as voters whose votes are up for grabs.
Bishop Reginald Jackson, the head of all 534 African Methodist Episcopal churches in Georgia, told the AP that Harris’ entry into the race has also energized Black men.
“To be frank, I think early on in this process a lot of Black men viewed this election with much skepticism and dread
But since the change in the Democratic ticket, there has been a turnaround. I think they feel they have something that they can support. I think a lot of issues which made a lot of them skeptical are being addressed.” Bishop Jackson said.
According to the New York Times, some Black men, like Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul have placed their finger directly on the pulse. Raoul said on the Win With Black Men fundraising Zoom call for Black men, “Sometimes as Black men, we get confused as to what strength is, and sometimes we think that standing behind a Black woman as a leader does not display strength as Black men. I’m here to tell you all tonight that it does the opposite of that, it displays strength.”
Raoul continued, “I’m standing behind a Black woman to be president of the United States, and it doesn’t make me any less of a Black man, I’m asking all of you all to do the same.”
In addition, Harris has said the exact same thing as many Black men: that she needs to earn their vote.
Harris told The Nation in July, “There is a trope in this election which I take issue with, because the underlying premise suggests that Black men should be in the back pocket of Democrats, and that is absolutely unacceptable. Here’s why: Why would any one demographic of people be different from any other demographic? They all expect you to earn their vote! You’ve got to make your case.”
Jason Nichols, a senior lecturer in the African American Studies Department at the University of Maryland College Park, told the New York Times that he believes that Black men know how important it is for them to vote for Vice President Harris this time around.
“You see the community coming together to vote their best interest — which, in this case, is a Black woman. I think this time Black men understand the assignment.” Nichols said.
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Source: Black Enterprise
