The Failure of the Democratic Party’s Black Faces

By Jeff Charles

The election is over, and Vice President Kamala Harris will not be the next President of the United States, despite all of the tactics Democrats employed to attack President-elect Donald Trump.

Harris’ loss is a devastating blow to Democrats, who have been fearmongering ad nauseam over the past two years about the possibility that their most hated opponent would emerge victorious.

The vice president was far from a decent candidate, which meant Democrats and their close friends and allies in the establishment media had to pull out all the stops to have a chance of winning. 

Harris spent the first month of her campaign dodging the press and the reason why was obvious: she is unable to handle unscripted conversations effectively. When she finally began interacting with the media, she showed she could not handle even simple questions without devolving into a lengthy word salad that used many words to say very little.

The vice president’s apparent lack of charisma was also an issue. In many instances, she came off as robotic and insincere.

However, much of the Democrats’ failure is shared by some of Harris’ key allies in government and media who simply could not make a big enough dent to derail Trump’s efforts to win the presidency – especially among Black voters. While she performed as most Democratic candidates have among Black women, she failed to reach Black men. 

Harris enjoyed the support of several Black politicians, celebrities, and media figures who employed different strategies to attack Trump while boosting the vice president. These include folks like Cardi B, Beyonce Knowles, former President Barack Obama, and several others.

Attempts at Lawfare

Black leaders in key government positions took part in a series of politically motivated prosecutions against the president-elect, hoping to use the legal system to dampen his chances of winning. 

Most of the officials spearheading the prosecution efforts were Black. Let’s start with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who headed up the election interference case against Trump. This particular effort resulted in the infamous mug shot Trump took when he surrendered to the authorities after he was indicted in August 2023. 

Willis alleged that Trump and 18 co-defendants participated in a scheme to alter the outcome of the 2020 election in Georgia. They claimed Trump and his allies pressured state officials, created false elector slates, and used disinformation about election integrity to overturn the results.

Even though Trump won the election, this case remains active with ongoing legal proceedings and appeals. Some legal experts argue that the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution might provide immunity for Trump. However, others contend that state prosecutions can still proceed. Given that this situation is unprecedented, the Fulton County case will likely face a series of legal challenges and delays, with Trump’s attorneys filing motions to dismiss based on presidential immunity. The proceedings could drag on until the president-elect’s second term is concluded. But one thing is clear, it did nothing to stop him from winning another stint in the White House.

Next, we have the Manhattan “hush money” case spearheaded by District Attorney Alvin Bragg. This case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. The payment was intended to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about her one-night stand with the president-elect.

Trump was later convicted on all 34 felony counts, but he has not yet been sentenced. His victory on Election Day could complicate efforts to imprison him. The president-elect’s lawyers are also arguing immunity in this case, referencing a Supreme Court ruling that presidents are shielded from prosecution for official acts.

The judge presiding over the case halted the proceedings to consider the implications of the election’s outcome. This could result in a delay in Trump’s sentencing until he leaves office. It could also result in the dismissal of charges if the court upholds his presidential immunity claim. A less likely scenario would be the court trying to proceed with sentencing and an attempt to incarcerate Trump, a move that would certainly meet with legal challenges.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has a civil case against the president-elect and the Trump Organization. Prosecutors allege that the company engaged in extensive financial misconduct when it allegedly inflated asset values to obtain favorable terms for loans.

The judge in this case ruled in James’ favor and ordered the president-elect to pay $355 million. But, again, this outcome did nothing to stop Trump from defeating Harris on Election Day and the verdict may not even stand on appeal.

The problem with the prosecution efforts is that it was easy for people to see that they were motivated by a desire to influence the outcome of the presidential race, not a pursuit of justice. A Quinnipiac poll revealed that 62 percent of Americans viewed these cases as politically motivated.

A CBS News poll found that 76 percent of respondents believed the federal indictment over mishandling of classified documents was also motivated by political concerns.

Political and Media Efforts

Other than lawfare, Democrats have also trotted out their big political hitters to help Harris consolidate support, especially among Black voters. Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams actively campaigned for the vice president. She participated in rallies and other public events to energize the base – especially in the Peach State.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was also an ardent Harris supporter. She served in a senior advisory position on Harris’ campaign and also campaigned heavily in Georgia. 

Alleged comedian D.L. Hughley, having previously been a sharp critic of Harris, came around during the 2024 campaign to try to garner support for the candidate. He even did a bit of groveling during the Democratic National Convention, apologizing to the vice president for his past criticisms. He used his radio platform to try to convince his listeners to support Harris at the ballot box.

The same is true of political commentator Roland Martin, who used his show to promote Harris. He interviewed Harris several times, focusing on her agenda for Black men, a demographic she struggled to win over. He also organized a virtual event in July titled “Black Men for Harris,” which raised over $1.3 million in only three hours.

Comedian and talk show host Steve Harvey was a prominent supporter of Harris. During the 100 Black Men of America national conference in Atlanta, he moderated a discussion with the candidate that centered on economic opportunities, support for small businesses, and systemic issues facing Black entrepreneurs. He took a barrage of criticism for asking softball questions instead of challenging Harris on her record.

To recap, Democrats used a plethora of Black faces to boost Harris’ campaign through politically motivated prosecutions and campaign efforts. But the numbers show that Trump still managed to garner more Black support than any other Republican presidential candidate in recent memory.

How the Black Vote Came In

So far, polls show that Donald Trump won about 13 percent of the Black vote nationally, which represents an increase from the 12 percent he won in 2020. However, exit polling showed him winning 15 percent of the total Black vote. 

The president-elect did particularly well among Black men, 21 percent of whom voted for him. In swing states, the numbers were even more pronounced. Trump swept up 20 percent of Black votes in Wisconsin, and 17 percent in Pennsylvania. He won a surprising 25 percent of Black male voters in Georgia.

According to an Edison Research exit poll, Harris won about 86 percent of the Black vote. To give some perspective, President Joe Biden garnered 90 percent of Black votes in 2020. Much of Harris’ losses among Black Americans occurred in swing states, which severely damaged her ability to win the election. Democratic candidates have traditionally relied on winning 90 percent or higher among African Americans.

Black voter turnout experienced a significant decline compared to the 2020 election. Harris therefore saw support drop both among Black voters and Blacks who chose not to vote at all. While exact national figures are still being finalized, early reports indicate a noticeable decrease in participation among Black voters. For instance, in North Carolina, early voting data showed that Black voters comprised 18% of early ballots cast, down from 20% in 2020. 

Similarly, in the Kansas City metro area, several counties reported lower overall voter turnout in 2024 compared to 2020, with Black voter participation contributing to this trend. 

This decline contrasts with the 2020 election, where Black voter turnout was notably high, contributing significantly to the election’s outcome. The reduced turnout in 2024 has been attributed to factors such as voter apathy, dissatisfaction with candidates, and potential barriers to voting access. Efforts by political campaigns and community organizations to mobilize Black voters faced challenges, as enthusiasm appeared lower than in previous election cycles.

Democrats were bound to lose a tremendous level of Black support. While folks like former President Barack Obama insisted that Black men were hesitant to pull the lever for Harris because of sexism, it is clear that other issues were at play. If these numbers hold, it shows that Black voters are becoming less loyal to the party — even if they are not yet willing to support Republicans.

About 82 percent of Black voters indicated the economy was their top concern, according to a Pew Research Center poll. It appears there was a growing sense that life was easier under Trump than under Biden, which certainly influenced voting patterns among African Americans.

It is also important to note that there has been an increasing dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party, even among Black Americans, the party’s most loyal voting base. This is especially true of younger Black voters who don’t necessarily have the same emotional and historical ties to the party. After decades of taking the Black vote for granted without doing much to improve their conditions, this result is the proverbial chickens coming home to roost.