Bahta Mekonnen, a 28-year-old U.S. Army captain residing in the pivotal voting state of Georgia, is one of the numerous Black voters who contributed to President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 elections.
However, three years later, he personifies the voter group Democrats are concerned might impede Biden’s path to a second term in 2024.
Mekonnen, disillusioned by what he perceives as the Democrats’ swing to extreme liberalism, extravagant spending, and unfulfilled promises, but equally repelled by extreme right-wing Republicans, feels that the upcoming election presents him with no good options.
He critiques the Democrats’ apparent pandering to the Black community, without substantive follow-through. Mekonnen, like many Black voters, had expected more effective measures against restrictive local voting laws, police, and criminal justice reform, student loan debt relief, and economic empowerment from Biden and the Democrats. However, these efforts have largely been stymied by Republicans.
Moreover, Mekonnen and other voters feel marginalized by the Democrats’ focus on LGBTQ and abortion rights. He expresses his growing distance from the Democrats and a desire for the party to prioritize the economy.
Polls and interviews from Reuters indicate that younger Black voters and Black men of all ages are losing faith in the Democrats, Biden, and potentially the political process. While a majority of Black voters are still likely to choose Biden over a Republican candidate, doubts persist about whether disenchanted Black voters will show up in adequate numbers in key cities to ensure Biden’s continued presidency.
LeLann Evans, a political campaign manager and write-in candidate for the Nashville City Council points to the Democrats’ failure to secure student loan relief or marijuana legalization as disappointments. He acknowledges Republicans’ achievements when they are in power.
Recent trends are discouraging, with Black voter turnout having declined by nearly 10 percentage points between the 2018 midterm elections and 2022. Furthermore, exit polling data suggests a growing defection of Black voters to Republicans.
Democrats’ support among Black voters who prioritize abortion rights, voting rights, and opposition to racism remains solid, but this advantage diminishes when it comes to economic issues.
Despite historic lows in the U.S. Black unemployment rate under Biden, economic standing remains a concern for Black voters. Democratic efforts to maintain and expand the Black vote, including the involvement of Vice President Kamala Harris and African-American chairman of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison, might not be sufficient to restore voter confidence.
