Biden and Harris Plan to Initiate Black Voter Engagement Campaign in Response to Decreasing Support Trends

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are ramping up their efforts to reach out to Black voters, a crucial component of their winning coalition in the 2020 election that has shown signs of weakening.

They will kick off a new outreach campaign targeted towards Black voters during a visit to the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Their itinerary includes a stop at Girard College, an independent boarding school in Philadelphia with a predominantly Black student body, as well as a visit to a small business to engage with members of the Black Chamber of Commerce.

The Philadelphia stops mark the beginning of what the campaign is calling an eight-figure, summer-long initiative to connect with Black student organizations, community groups, and faith centers.

Quentin Fulks, Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, stated, “We will continue to be aggressive, innovative, and thorough in our efforts to earn the support of the very voters who propelled Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to victory in 2020 and will do so again in 2024.”

The push comes at a time when Biden’s support among Black voters has shown signs of decline. According to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published in March, Biden’s approval among Black adults has dropped from 94% at the start of his term to just 55%.

While the economy has been a challenge for Biden, particularly since inflation reached a 40-year high in 2022, there has also been discontent in the Black community over Biden’s handling of issues like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Mobilizing Black voters could be crucial for Biden’s chances in closely contested states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Although Biden won all six states in 2020, his reelection bid may face more obstacles this time around.

Former President Donald Trump, Biden’s potential opponent in 2024, has been positioning himself as a better choice for Black voters. At a recent rally, Trump criticized Biden on immigration and highlighted the impact of immigration on Black and Hispanic populations.

The Biden campaign aims to remind Black voters of the accomplishments of the Democratic administration, including improvements in Black unemployment rates, wealth, and initiatives like student loan debt cancellation and historic appointments of Black officials to key positions.

Biden’s visit to Philadelphia follows a series of engagements with Black community members, demonstrating his commitment to engaging with and addressing the concerns of Black voters.