Vice President Kamala Harris suggested to MSNBC’s Al Sharpton that black men are “misogynists” if they do not support her candidacy. Harris’s remarks are unlikely to strengthen her support among men, particularly black men, who have been a challenging demographic for her campaign. According to the latest national NBC News poll, former President Donald Trump holds a lead of up to 16 points among men. A recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll revealed that only 80% of black men support Harris, while an NAACP poll found that one in four individuals under the age of 50 expressed support for Trump.
“I think that you are absolutely right,” Harris replied to Sharpton when asked if “some” men are “misogynist” if they do not support Harris. “Do you think some of the resistance of some men, black and white, is misogynist?” Sharpton asked. “And are you proud to see that most Americans, even being polled, have no problem supporting a woman at all?” The VP responded: “On your specific point … I think that you are absolutely right that there is this narrative about what kind of support we are receiving from black men that is just not panning out.”
Trump’s rising support within the black community has raised concerns for the Harris campaign. Last week, the campaign released an “Agenda for Black Men,” which includes proposals for legalizing marijuana, establishing a new loan program, offering preferred banking options for entrepreneurs, and expanding apprenticeship and mentorship programs, as well as enhanced health screenings.
“Marijuana? That’s just disrespectful,” a Georgia labor organizer and former Atlanta City Council candidate, Ken Wainwright, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’re fathers. We live in these communities. We want to get kids off that stuff.” The Harris campaign reversed its proposal on Wednesday, no longer exclusively targeting the black community.
A key part of Trump’s campaign message to black voters revolves around the perceived weaponization of the justice system against him. By referencing the historical legal discrimination faced by the black community, Trump believes that some black voters may resonate with his claims about Biden’s use of justice as a political tool against him. “A lot of people said that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” Trump told a black audience in South Carolina last week.