There are warning signs aplenty as President Joe Biden revs up his campaign for reelection in 2024.
None of these signs are more worrisome than so than his standing among Black voters, a key demographic group that has traditionally sided with Democrats by an overwhelming margin in national elections.
But the latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows Biden with a 58% approval rating with Black voters, down from the early days of his presidency, when nearly 9 of 10 Black voters approved of his job performance.
Even worse, only 41% said they want him to run for reelection and only 55% said they are likely to support him in the general election.
Black voters in South Carolina rescued Biden’s fledgling campaign in 2020. After winning the Palmetto State’s primary, Biden didn’t look back en route to the Democratic nomination.
But Republicans have since made strides in gaining more Black voters, earning 14% of the Black vote in the 2022 midterm elections, compared to 8% in 2018, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive national survey of the electorate. Former President Donald Trump gained 12% of the Black vote in 2020, compared to just 8% in 2016.
Destiny Humphreys, a 22-year-old senior at South Carolina State University, the state’s only public historically Black college or university, said she’s disappointed in the president, saying his accomplishments have not lived up to his promises.
“Honestly, I feel like right now America is in a state of emergency. We need some real change,” Humphreys, who said she is unsure about her vote in next year’s election, told the AP.
Todd Starnes, the nationally syndicated radio host and best-selling author, said there are signs that Michelle Obama may be considering a presidential run.
“First, Susan Rice left the administration, which could indicate she’s prepping Obama for a campaign,” Starnes said. “But you also have to look at where the Democrats decided to hold their convention. Why Chicago? The Democrats have a firm grip on Illinois. The chatter among politicos is that she could very well be the next nominee.”