Black men are a coveted — somewhat movable — voting bloc. Seven told us how they planned to vote.
The campaigns are putting significant time and attention toward courting Black men, seen as a crucial voting bloc in a tight presidential race. We asked some how they planned to vote.
As Election Day approaches, the campaigns are putting significant time and attention toward courting Black men, seen as a crucial — and potentially movable — voting bloc in a tight presidential race. Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have rolled out policies, dispatched key surrogates and held events targeted at winning over these coveted voters.
To get a sense of the challenges each campaign is facing, NBC News asked seven Black men from across the country how they plan to cast their ballots and what concerns they have about the candidates. A majority said they intend to vote for the vice president, but some said they initially had some trepidation about Harris while others said they felt inspired to vote for her as a tribute to the women in their lives. One man supporting Trump said his wariness of Harris’ work as a prosecutor in California solidified his choice.
In several key battleground states, Black turnout could help make the difference. A slight shift among some Black men — and a historic gender gap, with Trump performing better with men of all races — has put Democrats on alert.
In a new Howard University Initiative on Public Opinion poll of 981 likely Black voters in battleground states, 81% of Black men of all ages said they would support Harris. However, that number drops to 68% for Black men under 50, compared to 21% who support Trump. Meanwhile, 88% of Black men over 50 say they support Harris versus 10% who are for Trump.
A less pronounced age gap among Black women has been closing, with 13% of those under 50 saying they will support Trump versus 6% of older women.
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