Republicans strive to win over Black voters as support for Biden wanes
Strong turnout from Black voters in handful of States was crucial in Biden’s victory in 2020 and those States are expected to help decide the 2024 election as well; while polls show a fall in the President’s approval ratings among the demography, the scen
rlando Owens, a rare Republican activist in a majorityBlack district of Milwaukee in Wisconsin State of the U.S., had hoped this election season would be different.
With national polls showing waning enthusiasm for Democratic President Joe Biden, especially among Black voters who say they are frustrated with his performance on the economy and other issues, State Republican party officials and activists saw an opening. Wisconsin holds its primary on Tuesday, where voters will weigh in on the presidential race, weeks after Biden and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump clinched their respective nominations.
Wisconsin Republicans hosted a Black History Month event in February at the party’s community engagement centre in the historically Black Bronzeville neighbourhood. Mr. Owens, the Republican party representative for the city’s six majorityBlack wards, is planning a roundtable of Black business and church leaders this month and a doorknocking campaign aimed at undecided voters.
But the voter engagement drive was thrown into confusion when the Republican National
OCommittee (RNC) last month announced it was axing plans for 40 community centers aimed at organising Black, Hispanic and Asian American voters — underlining the challenges the party faces in persuading Milwaukee’s Black voters that they are committed to the community, beyond November’s presidential election.
“Our commitment has always been questioned — but regardless of a building, we are going to be here even if we have to work out of satellite offices or garages,” Mr. Owens said.
The State party said it will keep the Bronzeville community engagement centre open. Reuters spoke to nearly 30 Black voters in majorityBlack neighbourhoods of Milwaukee, about half of whom said they remained undecided about voting for Mr. Biden in November or voting at all.
‘Unhappy and skeptical’
About 10 of the 15 residents who are unhappy with Mr. Biden also expressed skepticism about Republicans’ longterm commitment to the area and to issues of concern to Black voters.
Strong turnout from Black voters in Wisconsin and a handful of other States helped propel Mr. Biden to the White House in 2020 and those same States are also expected to help decide the 2024 election.
The Democrat won Wisconsin by fewer than 21,000 votes, but carried Milwaukee by roughly 1,46,000 votes with 53% of those votes cast in majorityBlack wards, according to an analysis of election and census data by John Johnson, a public policy research fellow at Marquette Law School Lubar Center.
“It’s fair to say that without Milwaukee, Biden would’ve lost Wisconsin,” Mr. Johnson said.
A Pew Research Center poll showed Mr. Biden’s approval rating among nonHispanic Black adults fell from a peak of 89% in April 2021 to 48% in January 2024.
The Republican effort to win over Black voters started in 2020 with the opening of the Bronzeville community center. It ramped up in 2022 when the RNC selected Milwaukee to host the party’s convention.
In the early 20th century, the neighbourhood thrived as a center for entertainment and commerce. But the construction of a freeway through the heart of the neighbourhood in the 1960s resulted in the demolition of over 8,000 homes and the displacement of businesses.
‘Obvious tactic’
“It seems pretty obvious on its face they are trying to go into the most Democratic part of Wisconsin to plant a flag,” said Jon Fleischman, a Republican strategist. “I think the party sees Donald Trump’s candidacy as an opportunity to create new constituency groups.”
The Republican party office, located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, is decorated with a distinctive white starburst on a red and blue backdrop of the Juneteenth flag, commemorating the emancipation of the last enslaved people at the end of the civil war.
Inside, a collage features Black Republican congressional members, portraits of civil rights leaders — and an image of Mr. Trump, a polarising figure who has employed racist rhetoric.
Brian Schimming, the state party chairman, acknowledged that consistent engagement will be crucial to winning over Black voters.
“What’s happened to Republicans in past years is that you spend money where your most loyal voters are — cities and places you don’t pay much attention to, you start doing worse,” Mr. Schimming said. “I’m all about being there and listening to people. If we don’t do that, frankly we shouldn’t win.”
A person familiar with the matter said that Mr. Trump’s team, now in control of the RNC, did not like the community centres and believed the money would be better used on hiring people in the community to engage with voters.
A poll conducted by leftleaning political action committee BlackPAC, in partnership with Democratic polling firm, Brilliant Corners, found Black support for Mr. Trump among likely voters in seven swing States, including Wisconsin, slipped from 9% in November last year to 8% in February 2024 .
Wisconsin Republicans plan to hire neighbourhood canvassers this spring to step up its doortodoor campaign efforts, purchase radio ads aimed at Black audiences and eventually staff the office in Bronzeville fulltime, Mr. Schimming said.
Party officials said their voter outreach efforts will highlight resident concerns including inflation, rise in robberies and carjackings and the Biden administration’s handling of migration at the U.S.Mexico border.