James Butler, a Black, 42-year-old Atlanta-based Democrat, plans to vote for President Biden in the upcoming election, but he lacks enthusiasm this time around, feeling that Biden is the best option available. This sentiment is shared among many Black voters in Georgia, as a CBS News poll in late February showed a decrease in support for Biden’s reelection bid among likely Black voters, dropping from 87% in 2020 to 76%. Georgia was a critical victory for Biden in 2020, with Black voters playing a significant role in his success. To address this decline in support, Vice President Kamala Harris recently launched a multistate tour in Atlanta to discuss investments in Black communities and opportunities for minority families under the Biden administration.
Organizers with the New Georgia Project, a Black voter advocacy group, have observed that younger Black males, in particular, have been slow to return to Biden’s fold. Misinformation is believed to be a significant factor in this waning interest, with narratives online misleading some Black men about the current administration’s accomplishments and challenges. Some supporters of the president express a lack of excitement about a potential 2020 rematch, such as Phillip Dunwood, a student at Georgia State University, who views his vote as a chore rather than a source of enthusiasm. While Republicans aim to attract Black men from Biden’s base, they face challenges due to a lack of resources and infrastructure compared to previous election cycles.
The Republican National Committee’s Black American Community Center in Georgia, along with other minority outreach centers, has closed since the 2022 midterms, leaving the party to rely on local ancillary groups like the Georgia Black Republican Council (GABRC) for outreach efforts. GABRC members, including Azad Ahmadi and Darryl Wilson, have engaged in various initiatives to court Black men, such as mentorship programs, conservative summits, and political forums in barbershops. The Black Conservative Federation (BCF), a network of African American GOP activists, has launched a 2024 get-out-the-vote policy plan called “Black Men Matter,” targeting Black men in battleground states through grassroots outreach and programming.
Despite these efforts, Democrats remain skeptical of Republican outreach to Black communities, questioning the sincerity and effectiveness of their engagement. Anre Washington, a Georgia voter, doubts the Republican Party’s commitment to genuinely courting Black voters, suggesting that their motives are not in good faith. While Republicans continue to make inroads with Black men in Georgia and other states, Democrats argue that the GOP still has a long way to go to earn the trust and support of Black communities. The upcoming election in November will reveal whether Biden can regain the enthusiasm of Black voters in Georgia and across the country or if Republicans succeed in peeling off segments of his base.
