Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
The political media went sideways recently when a New York Times poll indicated that 22% Black voters in six swing states critical to a Democratic victory were willing to vote for Donald Trump over Joe Biden. Biden is not doing great with other voters of color either. While the 2023 elections last week were great for Democrats overall in marquee races across the country, this should not be used to calm nerves about Democrats’ prospects in the 2024 election. Rather, the 2023 election results can be used as additional instruction on how to make up ground in a presidential election one year out. And it would behoove the Biden campaign team to really listen to and engage the very activists and strategists (many of whom are young and Black women) from these communities in order to rebuild a coalition that can deliver the White House and Democratic majorities in Congress again.
As someone who has helped develop messaging for Democratic campaigns and oftentimes carried it to the media outlets as a surrogate, I’m more than aware of the delicate dance required when responding to bad political news and affirming but downplaying its impact, as campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz did when asked about it on the record: “Our campaign is being built to win an election in November 2024 — not the next New York Times poll.” However, it is important that Munoz’s statement becomes reality, instead of the poll becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy of many people’s fears.
While Biden won Black voters in 2020, the Democratic coalition of Black voters has been slipping since Barack Obama was last on the ballot in…
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