Harris Has Increasing Support From Black Men In Battleground States Overall, But More Work Needed To Earn Support From Young Black Male Voters

(Black PR Wire) WASHINGTON – Recently, Black Men Vote PAC released the results of a recent survey highlighting the views of Black men in the Blue Wall battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin on the upcoming presidential election and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The poll surveyed 600 Black voters, including 400 Black men, from August 5 to 13, 2024. With a margin of error of +/-4.7%, the findings offer critical insights into the current mindset of Black male voters—a demographic that will play a pivotal role in the upcoming election.

Black Men Vote PAC, with its affiliates, has committed a nearly $10 million investment in 2024, registering nearly 80,000 new voters and educating thousands of young Black men in numerous barber shops across the three states, on the importance of voting. Between now and Election Day, BMV PAC will be investing nearly $4 million in the Blue Wall states educating Black men through a comprehensive social media, phone and canvassing campaign, on why Kamala Harris should be their choice over Donald Trump.

Among this new survey’s findings:

• While Black men overall strongly prefer Vice President Harris, younger Black men (ages 18-49) are the most likely voters to consider voting for Donald Trump: Despite the high level of trust in Harris, the poll reveals that 17% of Black men (including 22% of young Black men) intend to vote for former President Donald Trump.
• Vice President Harris is heavily trusted to handle criminal justice reform among Black men battleground voters. Among Black men battleground voters, 28% reported reducing racism, and 22% reported criminal justice as a top three issue. When asked whether Vice President Harris can be trusted to handle criminal justice issues, nearly 7 in 10 (67%) of Black men report trust in the Vice President, signaling an important area for Vice President Harris to focus on to increase support among Black men.
• Black men are more likely to vote and more positively inclined toward Democrats since Harris’s entrance into the race. 52% of Black men said Vice President Harris' nomination would increase their motivation to vote. 52% of Black men also reported that they are more favorable toward the Democratic Party in the last month.
• In considering reasons for supporting Vice President Harris, Black Men are more moveable towards supporting Vice President Harris relative to Black Women. After reading messages on Harris’s prosecutorial record, 8% of Black men reported changing their reasoning for supporting Kamala Harris as a vote for Harris rather than against Donald Trump, compared to 6% of Black women. These results signal that increasing support for Harris among Black men and young Black men in particular, is a very possible outcome.

These findings indicate that there is still work to be done to secure the full support of this critical voter bloc and to maximize on the opportunity of her candidacy.

Black Men Vote PAC and HIT Strategies conducted the survey among Black voters in key battleground states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—to better understand their perspectives leading into the 2024 election. The data will drive decisions on programming and campaign efforts between now and Election Day.

Frank White, Co-founder and Board Chair, Black Men Vote since 2012, said: "The road to the White House runs through Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. We’ve been on the ground in all three states since January. We’ve registered almost 80,000 new voters and we’ve hosted voter education events at numerous barber shops across the Blue Wall states engaging thousands of Black men. These survey results confirm what we’ve been seeing on the ground and help inform the messaging for BMVPAC digital media, phone, and canvassing programs.

Joshua Doss, Senior Pollster, HIT Strategies said: "This poll highlights significant gains made by the Harris campaign among Black voters, and the opportunity to expand on those gains with increased outreach. Vice President Harris enjoys strong trust and support from Black men, and there are still significant opportunities for further engagement. It’s crucial for the presidential campaign and others to continue reaching out to Black men to highlight her record and expand her vote share among Black men."

# # #

Source: Black Men Vote PAC