A new poll reveals a shift in Black voter support in the critical swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Former President Donald Trump has seen an increase in his support among Black voters, jumping into the double digits compared to his 2020 performance.
The USA Today/Suffolk University survey, conducted from June 9 to 13, found that 15 percent of Black voters in Michigan and 11 percent in Pennsylvania now back Trump, a notable rise from his sub-10 percent support in 2020.
Despite this gain, President Joe Biden remains the preferred choice for the majority of Black voters in these states. The poll of 500 registered Black voters in each state shows that while fewer Black voters plan to vote for Biden compared to 2020, he still maintains a substantial lead.
However, a large portion of Black voters who are not inclined to support Biden are considering third-party candidates like Cornel West or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with nearly 15 percent in both states indicating this preference.
David Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center, highlighted the challenge for Biden, noting that for every Black voter who shifts to Trump, Biden needs to secure 13 more Black votes to maintain his lead.
This dynamic underscores the importance of the Black vote in these swing states, where election outcomes are often decided by narrow margins.
The poll also reflected sentiments regarding Trump’s legal issues. In Michigan, 64 percent of voters said Trump’s recent conviction on 34 felony counts related to the hush money case makes them less likely to support him, with similar sentiments expressed by 65 percent of voters in Pennsylvania.
The former president has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal the verdict.
Economic concerns topped the list of priorities for voters in both states, indicating that inflation and the economy will be pivotal issues in the upcoming election.
Current aggregate polls from FiveThirtyEight show Trump leading Biden by narrow margins in both Michigan and Pennsylvania, as well as nationally.
