The race for the upcoming elections is heating up, with Vice President Kamala Harris working hard to secure votes from different sections of the electorate. According to reports by the New York Times, two influential Democratic groups, Priorities USA and ProgressNow, have urged Harris to intensify her efforts to win over minority and young voters.
In a joint memo, both organizations stated,
"We cannot tolerate any loss of support and hope to win. Without an immediate investment in communication to these groups that is commensurate with their power in the electorate, electing Harris in November will become harder."
Despite these warnings, a recent Howard University poll indicated that a significant majority of Black voters in seven swing states favor Harris over former President Trump. The poll found that 82% of respondents support Harris, while only 12% back Trump.
Danielle Butterfield, executive director of Priorities USA, emphasized the need for deliberate strategies targeting voters of color and young voters, saying,
"We have to be deliberate, and we have to use our most aggressive persuasion tactics to target voters of color and young voters."
On the other hand, the Harris campaign is also making efforts to win over white male voters, a demographic that has shown substantial loyalty to Trump in the past. The group "White Dudes for Harris" has revealed its first advertisement as part of a $10 million campaign targeting male voters in the critical battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The advertisement encourages men to consider which candidate offers a better plan for them and their families, challenging the notion that masculinity is linked to supporting Trump. The ad states,
“All they’ve ever done is screw us over, but if you’re not on the MAGA train, where do you go? ... Then it hit me, this isn’t picking teams. It’s about who’s got a plan that’s going to make life better for me and my family.”
Despite these efforts, the Harris campaign has received criticism from Black Democratic operatives over its support of minority-owned businesses. The campaign has been accused of avoiding work with minority-owned political firms for consulting work.
As the election draws closer, it remains to be seen how these developments will influence the results. Both sides continue to strategize and mobilize, aiming to secure the broadest base of support possible.