Title: The Unconventional and Offensive Courting of Black Voters by Donald Trump: A Perspective from a Black Female Conservative
The claim that former President Donald Trump enjoys significant support among African American voters has always been a hard sell. In the 2016 and 2020 elections, he managed to secure only 6% and 8%, respectively, of the Black vote according to Pew Research’s analysis of validated voters. This is a far cry from the Republican Party’s historical standing as an anti-slavery, pro-abolition party in 1854 that carried a substantial portion of Black voters.
Fast forward to the anticipated 2024 presidential race, and it seems that Trump is making an unusual and offensive attempt to woo Black voters back into the Republican fold. At a recent Black Conservative Federation gala in South Carolina, Trump received the “Champion of Black America” award and made an extensive monologue filled with unconventional and some would say racially charged comments about Black people and his supposed connection to them.
Trump declared, “I got indicted a second time and a third time and a fourth time, and a lot of people said that that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. They actually view me as I’m being discriminated against.” He further stated that his Fulton County mug shot resonated more with the Black population than anyone else.
These comments left many, including this Black female conservative Republican, deeply offended. While it’s true that there are Black voters who feel disenfranchised by the criminal justice system in America and may sympathize with Trump’s situation, this sentiment does not equate to a reason for Black voters to support him as their presidential candidate.
First and foremost, the Republican Party’s base has shifted over the years due to the presence of tea party radicals, White nationalists, and culture warriors. Policies such as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), wokeness, and even voting rights have become divisive issues within the GOP. As a result, many principled Black conservatives who previously identified as Republicans or conservative independents have abandoned the party.
Trump’s mug shot is an insignificant concern for most Black voters. We prioritize issues like taxes, education, reproductive rights, and voting rights – the same concerns that all voters share. Trump’s claims of being unfairly treated by the criminal justice system do not resonate with us. Recent polling data indicates that over 90% of Black voters support President Joe Biden, and there is little indication that this trend will change for Trump.
It’s essential to remember who Donald Trump truly is. He is the man who ran ads in New York newspapers advocating for the death penalty against the Central Park Five – a group of young Black and Latino men who were later exonerated. When asked about their exoneration in 2019, he responded by stating, “They admitted their guilt.” This is the real estate mogul whose company was sued by the Justice Department in the 1970s for discriminating against Black renters. Trump’s character and policies are at odds with what most Black Americans stand for.
Biden has earned my vote, not because I have stopped being a center-right conservative but because he is an effective president who has made significant strides for Black women and America. Biden appointed the first female vice president, Kamala Harris, who is a Black and South Asian woman, as well as the first Black female Supreme Court justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson. He has taken actions like canceling student debt – an issue that disproportionately affects Black Americans due to predatory loans. Biden is a strong leader on the international stage and a dedicated supporter of American democracy.
To any fellow African Americans considering voting for Trump, I would simply advise caution: “Caveat emptor” – buyer beware.
