US Vice president Kamala Harris has reportedly gained enough pledged delegate support for a likely Democratic nomination.
USA: Black voters express hope and concern as Harris takes center stage in campaign
For illustration purposes: Supporters of Black Voters Matter gather at a polling site at the Graham Civic Center in Graham, N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
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Gerry Broome/Copyright 2020 The AP. All rights reserved
In the event of a faceoff between Donald Trump and her, the vote of Black citizens will be important.
Speaking on Monday (Jul. 22), this New Yorker is part of a group of voters known as never-trumpers.
"I know there would be historical implications for having a black female president, the first female president, well, she wouldn't be the first black president, but the first female president, there would be historical implications. But my strongest emotions for the election are just being anti-Donald J. Trump. Yes. That's the biggest thing for me. Just not him."
To win the November 5th election, Harris will need to court voters beyond an anti-trump sentiment.
Black voters helped power Biden to victory in the last Democratic primary and presidential poll.
An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll fielded prior to Biden’s announcement Sunday found about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do well as president. More broadly, among all adults, the poll showed skepticism of Harris, with only 3 in 10 Americans saying she would do well as president.
But Blacks were more likely to see Harris in a positive light.
Many Democrats followed Biden’s lead in expressing their support for Harris. The Congressional Black Caucus said it “fully backs” the vice president.
Johnny Bester, a 37-year-old from Atlanta who was riding a scooter alongside Diggs in Piedmont Park, said he was “not loyal to any brand” of politics. He said Biden should have dropped out long ago and that he wasn't a fan of the president's endorsement of Harris.
"The endorsement that I saw with Kamala - I'm not a fan of that as well. I feel like a lot of us forgot that she was even in the office because she hasn't been too vocal or she hasn't been too visible."
The Republican and Democratic parties have distinct strengths within different subgroups of the U.S. population.
59-year-old Harris who is of Jamaican and Indian descent will seek to energize Black and Asian voters.