Courtney McClain was 18 when she met then-Senator. Kamala Harris at Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 2019
When McClain arrived at the club, Harris, then a candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, gave her some advice.
“She told me I didn't need to ask permission to make sure I was always true to who I was. She told me she was so proud of me. McClain, now a master's student at Howard University, told The Hill.
McClain plans to vote to elect Harris in November, but polls suggest she won't be alone.
Harris' entry into the race has energized young black voters and could make the difference in a close race against former President Trump, which is likely to be contested in seven battleground states.
septemberWashington Post Ipsos PollOf 1,083 Black Americans, 69% said they would definitely vote in November, up from 62% in April, when President Biden was the most likely to vote.
The number of black voters under 30 who say they are certain to vote in November has increased by 15 points since April. Among black women under 40, the number of voters who said they intended to vote increased by 18 percentage points.
Terrance Woodbury, a founding partner at HIT Strategies, said the main reason was the change of administration from Biden to Harris.
“She bridged the generational gap that we saw when Biden was at the top,” Woodbury said.
One of the biggest issues for Black voters heading into November is the economy, according to an NAACP poll. 60% of black voters under 50 say the country's economic situation is worsening.
For Danny Steele, tackling the economy means tackling the racial wealth gap.
“We want policies that can close the racial wealth gap, increase homeownership opportunities and support Black entrepreneurship,” Steele, 21, told The Hill.
Steele also wants to see policies like criminal justice reform, meaningful changes to systemic racism and policing, and expanded voting rights protections.
That's part of the reason she supports Harris, who said she would sign the George Floyd Policing Act if it reaches her desk, adding to federal legislation including the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Voting Freedoms Act. He vowed to advance the protection of voting rights.
Her small business plan is a key component of her “opportunity economy” and is specifically aimed at supporting Black small businesses.
“She is challenging the status quo and showing that our voices are heard and that we are shaping our future,” Steele said. “I'm more than excited. I'm going to be a part of history too. I can tell my kids…I got to vote for the first black female president.”
Biden also supports the George Floyd and John Lewis legislation, but the way Harris speaks on some issues is a disagreement with many voters. One example is abortion.
Arianna Levin, a fourth-year student at Spelman College in Georgia, hopes Harris will talk about reparations, but she thinks it would mean a lot to hear her speak about reproductive health care and ending the maternal mortality crisis. He added that there is.
Black people are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white people.
“Even if Vice President Harris doesn't have children, she has sisters who do. She has stepchildren and may someday have children,” Levin said. “She knows that there is a large community of people out there who need this kind of support, and those of us who want to have children, who have access to accessible health care and affordable health care. People who want it, and good health care, will accept it.”
Harris' continued weakness compared to past Democratic presidential candidates is black men, who former President Trump has repeatedly courted.
A Post-Ipsos poll found 80% of black men support Harris, while an NAACP poll found one in four under 50 supported Trump.
Rep. Stephen Horsford (D-Nev.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said comparing Harris' record to Trump's “should clarify how black men should vote.” said.
“I'm going to do everything I can to make black men aware of the record and the choice of two options: one that moves us forward or one that tries to take us back. I believe that black men, like all black voters, will choose Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on the ballot.”
Janiya Thomas, Team Trump's black media director, said black voters voted for the former president because “the American dream is becoming unaffordable for younger generations” and because “Democrats are “We have continued to take the community for granted.”
“Our team actively engages with the Black community, connecting directly with voters and addressing the everyday challenges they face,” Thomas said. “Whether it's in inner-city neighborhoods or through conversations with young black male podcasters, Team Trump understands that real engagement goes beyond empty rhetoric. We will be there, we will listen, and we will work to get every vote.”
whole, Pew Research Center pollThis is about the ability of young black voters to take care of the issues that matter to them, such as making good decisions about health care and economic policy, and effectively addressing issues of race, law enforcement, and criminal justice. , indicating that he has more confidence in Harris' abilities than President Trump.
The identity of Harris, who was born to a Jamaican father and an Indian woman, has also been revealed. Black voters say Harris' identity is a driving force in how they vote.
The Post-Ipsos poll found that 71% said it was very or somewhat important that Harris become the first female president, and 64% said she was the second Black and first Asian American president. I answered the same question about becoming.
“When I was young, I barely remember the first Obama administration, but even that was revolutionary to me as a kid,” Levin said. “Young black girls out there can look at themselves in a very positive way and think of themselves as having some of the highest-ranking jobs in the world.”
Steele said Harris opened doors he never thought possible.
“I tell her, ‘You are a beacon of hope.’ You are an inspiration and a trailblazer,” Steele said. “If you can hold the highest office in this country and do what you're doing, why can't I?”
