With Trump making gains in the Black voting community, Biden and Harris launched a nationwide Black voter turnout group in Philadelphia looking to shore up support.
President Biden and his running-mate Kamala Harris traveled to Philadelphia Wednesday to launch ‘Black Voters for Biden-Harris’ at Girard College – an independent boarding school with a majority Black student body.
The event marks the fifth held in the Philadelphia area by either Biden or his Vice President since the State of the Union in March – most recent being last week’s SEIU keynote address by Mrs. Harris in Philadelphia.
“No campaign has valued Black voters like we have, including through investing earlier and with more money than ever before talking to Black voters,” the Biden campaign claimed in a statement prior to the event.
Black voters were Biden’s most loyal voting bloc in 2020, first fueling his victory in the South Carolina Democratic Primary which put him on course to secure the nomination, then voting 92% – 8% in favor of Biden over Trump in the General Election.
“In 2020, Black voters in Philadelphia and across our nation helped President Biden and me win the White House,” said the Vice President during her remarks on Wednesday.
Recent data, however, shows that Black support for Biden is cratering.
New Pew research polling shows Biden currently leading former President Trump 77% to 18% with Black voters. If this number were to hold, it would be significantly lower than it was for Biden in 2020 or for Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to Pew Research Center validated voter studies.
In an election that may come down to a few thousand votes, a swing of 10% in the Black vote would be catastrophic for Biden – something those in attendance understood.
“In Philadelphia alone, we are 40% of the population, so our vote really matters when it comes to making change,” said Tariem Burroughs of the Liberty City Democratic Club.
Biden’s remarks veered between his standard campaign talking points like support for abortion access and codifying Roe, to lashing out at Donald Trump as a racist who “wanted to tear gas” Black people and someone who would have handled January 6th differently if it was Black Americans involved.
The event heavily featured his Vice President, the first Black woman to hold the position, along with multiple Black leaders in the Democrat party including local Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Biden campaign co-chair Cedric L. Richmond.
Following the event, Biden held a Philadelphia-area organizing event with the Black Chamber of Commerce, and Democrat Rep. Barbara Lee held a phone bank with local Black activists.
The Biden campaign plans to continue Black voter outreach with events in the swing states of Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada through the end of the week.
