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Vice President Kamala Harris is counting on former President Barack Obama to help sway a critical group of voters: Black men. As one of the most influential Black figures in America, Obama’s voice holds significant weight, and Harris hopes that when he speaks, Black men will listen.
Harris faces a challenge—enthusiasm among Black men for her candidacy hasn't matched what Obama experienced during his campaigns, potentially affecting voter turnout. At a recent campaign stop in Pittsburgh, Obama addressed this issue head-on, speaking candidly to a group of Black men about the stakes of the election. He suggested that misogyny may be influencing some voters' hesitation to support Harris, giving former President Donald Trump an opening to capture part of her base.
“Kamala knows you,” Obama reminded the group. He highlighted Harris’s concrete policy proposals aimed at issues directly affecting Black communities, such as housing, health care, and entrepreneurship. Yet, he also noted that some were finding "excuses" to not support her, questioning if resistance to having a woman in the highest office was part of the reason.
This blunt conversation spotlighted a concern shared by voters and activists alike: Harris has struggled to fully engage Black men since President Joe Biden left the race. While Black men generally support Harris over Trump, even a slight drop in that support could have a big impact in key battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
In response, Harris has ramped up her outreach efforts. She recently released an economic agenda targeting Black men, building on her years of work as vice president. This includes plans to legalize recreational marijuana and provide forgivable small business loans. Over the past few days, she has also visited Black-owned businesses and hosted conversations with African American men. A rally in Atlanta with singer Usher is planned as part of this increased focus.
Harris’s supporters believe Obama’s involvement is making a difference. Gregory Hannah-Jones, an Atlanta supporter, described Obama’s comments as a necessary “jolt” to wake up Black male voters. “VP Harris supplemented that,” he added.
Harris has been working to build her rapport with Black men for some time. As vice president, she held listening sessions focused on entrepreneurship, housing, and criminal justice reform. She also launched an economic tour earlier this year, aimed at Black voters, visiting key cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Detroit. However, after Biden's withdrawal, her attention shifted to running a national campaign, limiting further engagement on those issues.
Despite the challenges, Harris recently introduced policies specifically targeting Black men, recognizing their concerns about the economy—a top issue for 23% of Black male voters, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. Prominent figures like actor Wendell Pierce have also joined her campaign, helping mobilize support in key communities.
Though Harris has made strides, there are still challenges ahead in solidifying her support among this key demographic.
Vice President Kamala Harris is well aware that the support of Black men could make or break her campaign, especially in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina. Former President Barack Obama’s active involvement in her outreach to Black men is a key strategy to help her shore up this critical demographic. Black men, though a reliable part of the Democratic base, have historically shown less enthusiasm for Harris than they did for Obama, and even a slight dip in turnout could have significant consequences in the upcoming election.
At a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, Obama took on the task of addressing this issue directly. Speaking candidly to a group of Black men, he posed a question that had largely gone unspoken: Were they really going to sit out the election? He didn’t shy away from calling out potential biases, pointing to how misogyny might be influencing some men’s reluctance to support Harris, while also giving Donald Trump an opportunity to win over disillusioned voters.
Obama stressed that Harris is not just another politician; she’s someone who “knows you,” someone who went to college with you, and someone who has put forward real plans to address the concerns that affect Black men. He highlighted her proposals to reduce housing and prescription drug costs, protect healthcare access, and promote entrepreneurship—key issues in Black communities. Yet, Obama acknowledged that some Black men were still finding reasons to hesitate, suggesting that their reluctance might be linked to discomfort with a woman holding the highest office in the land.
Obama’s remarks touched on a larger concern: despite her long-standing efforts to connect with Black men, Harris has faced criticism for not doing enough to energize this crucial group since Biden dropped out of the race. Black men overwhelmingly support Harris over Trump, but even a small erosion in that support could tip the scales in close races. Understanding this, Harris has ramped up her outreach, releasing an economic plan aimed specifically at Black men and stepping up her engagement in key states.
Her newly unveiled economic agenda is part of a broader effort to address the issues that matter most to Black men. Among her proposals is the legalization of recreational marijuana, a policy aimed at reducing the disproportionately high incarceration rates among Black men for minor drug offenses. She also pledged to provide $1 million in forgivable small business loans, recognizing the barriers Black entrepreneurs face in accessing capital. This builds on the work Harris has done as vice president, where she focused on economic equity, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice reform in Black communities.
In addition to policy proposals, Harris has been hitting the ground in battleground states, visiting Black-owned businesses and holding direct conversations with African American men. This past week, she made appearances at a coffee shop and record store, while also preparing for a campaign rally in Atlanta with R&B singer Usher, a move designed to further engage Black voters, especially men.
Supporters see these efforts, coupled with Obama’s involvement, as a positive shift. Many believe that Obama’s intervention has helped to re-energize Black male voters who might have been on the fence. Gregory Hannah-Jones, a 38-year-old Harris supporter from Atlanta, called Obama’s remarks a much-needed “jolt” for Black male voters, saying that Harris has successfully built on the momentum Obama started.
However, Harris’s efforts to win over Black men didn’t begin with her current presidential run. As vice president, she held a series of listening sessions focused on issues disproportionately affecting Black men, including housing affordability, high interest rates on loans, and criminal justice reform. Earlier this year, she launched an economic tour that stopped in cities with large Black populations like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Detroit. She also addressed the annual conference of 100 Black Men of America, further solidifying her focus on engaging with Black male voters.
Still, the demands of the campaign have made it difficult to sustain some of these efforts. When Biden dropped out, Harris quickly had to pivot from her vice presidential duties to running a national campaign, cutting short her outreach efforts to Black men. Some political analysts have noted that this shift may have slowed her momentum among this group, leaving some voters feeling overlooked.
Despite these challenges, Harris is pushing forward with renewed energy. In mid-October, she rolled out policies specifically targeted at Black men, a move that directly addresses the concerns of many who feel that their economic struggles aren’t being adequately addressed by either party. According to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, 23% of Black men cited the economy as their top issue, and Harris’s proposals on housing, healthcare, and small business support aim to speak directly to those concerns.
Meanwhile, prominent Black men like actor Wendell Pierce have joined Harris’s campaign efforts, helping to mobilize voters in key communities. Pierce recently campaigned for Harris at a Milwaukee barbershop, emphasizing the importance of turning out the vote and supporting Harris’s platform. However, Pierce also noted that no matter what Harris does, she will likely face complaints from some voters, a reflection of the broader challenges women in leadership often face.
As Harris continues to fight for every vote, the question remains: will these efforts be enough to close the gap in support among Black men? With high stakes in battleground states and the potential for a close race, Harris’s ability to mobilize Black male voters could prove decisive in the election’s outcome.
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