So thanks to folks for reading my story on Joe Biden’s staying power with black voters. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now, as poll after poll, the results have pointed to the same fact: His top-tier status is mainly attributable to his firewall with black voters.
As a reporter focused on how race is playing out in this election, this strikes me as notable for a couple of reasons. 1: His entry into the race focused largely on his appeal to the working-class whites Democrats lost in 2016 (who may or may not come back).
Today’s narrative recognizes that ~at least for now~ Biden maintains a significant lead with Democrsts’ most loyal constituency — folks who don’t need persuading, but who *do* need a reason to turnout, like all voters.
2: Biden said he didn’t seek former President Obama’s endorsement, but his role as Obama’s two-term VP speaks for itself in many black communities. I’ve heard as much repeatedly on the campaign trail directly from voters. It’s a powerful association that can’t be underestimated.
As I’ve watched this play out in the primary, I wondered what it is about a 77-year-old white man that is resonating with black voters headed into 2020 in the most diverse field ever. Gaffes? Crime bill? Anita Hill? He was still out front with black voters in particular.
And Biden hasn’t just led; from the beginning he has far outpaced his rivals with black voters since officially entering the race in April, later than many other candidates. Talking to some of the black folks who know him best gave me some insight as to why.
Particularly helpful were some of the black folks who have known him longest, from his native Delaware, home of the country’s 9th largest percentage of black folks. 1 in 5 Delawareans are black — and many helped keep Biden in office as a six-term US Senator.
This means five decades of going to black churches, black colleges, NAACP dinners, and every other cultural institution important to black folks in trying to get their vote. That’s a lot of practice.
Of course the ultimate test is whether this holds and black voters — among the party’s most pragmatic and discerning — stick with him once primary voting is underway. But at this point, it appears to be more a question of who can cut into his lede, not how he will squander it.
And to be clear, this is still very much an open question with two months to go until Iowa. If you haven’t, check out my story here: apnews.com/86ac620dd00045…
