Almost by default, Hillary Clinton has garnered the support of the Democratic Black voter since the beginning of the race to the White house, and many African American leaders have often criticized Senator Bernie Sanders for being “missing in action” on what matters to Blacks.
Now, the power of the Black vote can’t possibly be understated as the mere thought of a Black president resulted in Black voters registering for the first time in large quantities in President Obama’s 2008 bid. His run for re-election in 2012 resulted in a Black voter turnout that exceeded whites for the first time in history.
Black voters have found themselves to be the most loyal demographic in the Democratic voting base with a ratio that skews the Democratic vote by 80 to 11.
So, it’s no wonder that the big question looming overhead is, ‘What will Black voters do now?’
With New Hampshire and Iowa well behind us, the political focus is now directly on South Carolina, where Black voters make up more than half of the state’s Democratic base.
In what some may call a sage move, a day after winning the New Hampshire primaries, Bernie Sanders met up with Reverend Al Sharpton as they dined in Harlem.
With Hillary Clinton planning to campaign with the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner, Sanders’ meeting with Sharpton is a crucial play, and the Reverend, who plans to make an endorsement decision after meeting with Hillary Clinton, won’t let us forget it.
“I think it’s very important that he sent a signal that on the morning after a historic victory, he would come to Harlem and have breakfast with me,” Sharpton said.
But, speaking quite frankly, who is really going to base their vote off what Reverend Al Sharpton says? With the many pressing issues facing African American people, these candidates must clearly state their intent to support and create change for the minority voter.
Tonight’s Democratic debate on PBS will take place in Milwaukee and will be the final Democratic debate before voters take to the polls in Nevada, South Carolina, and a slew of many other Southern states.
Any indication of a clear plan for the minority voter will have to reign supreme for both candidates this evening if they intend to secure the Black vote they both will certainly need.
