Conservative pundit Scott Jennings blamed Democrats’ focus on identity politics and transgender issues for Vice President Kamala Harris’ flailing favorability among black male voters during CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“A lot of men think Democrats care more about dudes who want to become women than dudes who just want to be dudes,” Jennings said. “And no hunting, cosplay or cringy videos are going to change that. The bed is made.”
Jennings’ fellow CNN panelists interrupted him with a resounding “No.”
Harris has won support from more black voters since President Biden bowed out of the race. But she is still lagging behind Biden’s share of black voters during the 2020 election, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll of black likely voters.
Harris currently has 78% of black voters’ support, while Biden had about 90% in 2020 and Hillary Clinton had about 92% in 2016, according to the Times/Siena poll.
In particular, media outlets have called out a lack of black male support for Harris.
“I mean, the front page of the New York Times this morning, front-page story: Democrats struggling with African American voters, particularly African American men,” Jennings said on Sunday. “This gender gap issue is real.”
The New York Times reported that Harris’ support from black male voters has been slipping significantly.
While she performs very well among women — she has about 83% of black female voters’ support — the vice president has only 70% of black male voters’ support, according to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, Biden had about 85% of black male voters’ support in 2020, the report said.
The flip seems to be part of a larger gender gap among parties, especially as young male voters have flocked to the Republican Party and young female voters have remained loyal to the Democratic Party.
Former President Barack Obama, Harris’ most significant endorser, recently called out black male voters for their slumping support and accused them of sexism.
While speaking at a Harris campaign field office in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Obama said he wanted to “speak some truth” about why “all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities” weren’t showing enthusiasm for Harris’ campaign.
He said the issue “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers” who are “coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses” not to vote for the Democratic nominee.
“You just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president,” Obama said.
He urged black male voters to give their support to Harris and reminded them that the “women in our lives have been getting our backs this entire time.”
Harris responded to the disappointing polls on Monday with a new “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men” — reminiscent of her “opportunity economy” plan.
The agenda, geared toward black male voters, promises 1 million loans that would forgive up to $20,000 for black entrepreneurs, as well as more affordable banking options and a new regulatory framework to protect cryptocurrency assets.
Harris also vowed to create more apprenticeship opportunities and help more black men become teachers.
Her agenda also pledges to legalize marijuana nationally — since black people are disproportionately arrested for marijuana possession, despite similar usage among black and white people — and create ways for black men to benefit from the resulting industry’s business potential.
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