Democrats don’t know what to do.
Rep. James Clyburn (R-S.C.) recently addressed polling data indicating a potential rise in support for former President Trump among Black male voters. Clyburn dismissed these figures, affirming that this demographic remains largely loyal to the Democratic Party and President Biden.
“I don’t believe they’ve shifted allegiance. The accuracy of these polls is questionable. Last night, I attended a state NAACP event and will be attending an AME church service today. I can assure you, there was absolutely no support for Donald Trump at these gatherings,” Clyburn stated on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.”
He acknowledged that some Black men might still support Trump, as seen in previous elections where Trump garnered around 8 to 12 percent of their votes. However, he emphasized that such voters might be making decisions based solely on party affiliation.
During the show, anchor Chris Stirewalt referenced an April Wall Street Journal poll from swing states indicating that approximately 30 percent of Black men were inclined to vote for Trump. This was contrasted with Trump’s 12 percent support from Black men in the 2020 election. Despite this, Biden still had substantial backing, with 57 percent of Black men favoring him in the WSJ poll.
Clyburn expressed skepticism about the reliability of current polling methods, citing an example from a Maryland primary election where pre-election polls diverged significantly from the actual results. He argued that such discrepancies are occurring nationwide, casting doubt on the overall accuracy of these surveys.
Having stepped down from House Democratic leadership earlier this year, Clyburn plans to visit several swing states to rally Black voter support for Biden. This effort is crucial as recent polls suggest Biden is losing ground among young, Black, and Hispanic voters, all key segments of his electoral base.
In a recent Punchbowl News interview, Clyburn reiterated that Biden does not face significant challenges with Black voters, dismissing concerning poll results. Supporting this, a New York Times/Siena College/Philadelphia Inquirer poll showed Biden leading Trump with Black voters, 63% to 23%. While this reflects a decrease from 87% of Black voters who supported Biden in 2020, Clyburn remains confident in Biden’s standing with this crucial demographic.