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May 22, 2024 Story by: Editor
Signs are emerging that President Biden may risk losing support from Black voters in the upcoming November election due to his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
A March poll conducted by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda and PerryUndem revealed that 24% of Black voters consider the Israel-Hamas war “extremely important” in the context of the election.
One in six Black voters surveyed indicated they’ve contemplated not voting as a form of protest, with “protecting Palestine” cited as a key reason.
This poll followed February calls from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest institutions for Black Americans, urging an end to financial aid to Israel.
Quintin Cross, a senior policy adviser at the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition, a racial justice organization in New York, mentioned that many Black Americans resonate deeply with the struggles of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
“This is the subtle life we live with every day,” Cross stated. “Whether it’s police violence, government attack, or just a general disregard for Black lives, we can relate.”
If Black voters abstain from voting, it could impact not only Biden but also other Democrats vying for Congressional control.
The concern is particularly pronounced among young voters, many of whom are already disillusioned with the administration.
A March survey by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace highlighted increasing concern among Black Americans about the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict. According to the report, 45% of Black Americans feel connected to the Palestinian plight, while 59% believe U.S. military aid to Israel should be conditional to ensure weapons are used for “legitimate self-defense” and in line with human rights standards.
The Carnegie survey also noted that people under 30 were more likely to feel negatively about Biden since October 7.
Biden’s Steadfast Support for Israel
President Biden has consistently supported Israel’s right to defend itself. He didn’t call for a ceasefire until early April during a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which frustrated many on the left.
He reiterated this call during his commencement speech at Morehouse College, a historically Black, all-male institution, seemingly to bolster support from a crucial constituency.
While Black voters typically lean Democratic, some polls indicate that former President Trump is gaining traction among Black men this election cycle.
A recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll showed that only 41% of Black voters aged 18 to 39 were certain they would vote in November.
Mixed Reactions and Growing Activism
Quintin Cross expressed mixed feelings about such surveys. Although he is dedicated to ending the war in Gaza, he also worries about potential repercussions for protesters, Palestinian and Jewish Americans if Trump returns to office.
“I understand where they’re coming from completely, because that was me two months ago,” Cross said. “But if the wrong person gets in [office], those communities are going to suffer even more.”
Nationwide, college campuses have seen encampments as students protest the ongoing war, with many supporting Palestinians. Over 2,700 students have been arrested or detained.
Prominent Black organizations, including the NAACP, have voiced their support for these students.
“Protest is the language of the people, used to fight against violence and build a healthy democracy,” said Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division. “We cannot encourage a generation to use their voice through their vote while simultaneously suppressing their freedom of speech.”
Black lawmakers have been vocal, warning that the Gaza conflict could hinder Biden from reassembling the diverse coalition that helped him defeat Trump in 2020.
“President Biden was elected by a broad, diverse, and multi-generational coalition of voters to lead with moral clarity and the responsibility to save lives,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) told The Hill. “A lasting, bilateral ceasefire to save lives, return the hostages, and surge humanitarian aid to Gaza is not only essential, but also critical to ensuring Donald Trump is never president again.”
Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution earlier this year, noted that it’s unsurprising Black voters are protesting the war.
“The struggle in occupied Palestine feels all too familiar for many Black people in this country,” Bush said. “For decades, Palestinians have been victims of state-sanctioned violence, oppression, apartheid, and racial injustice and inequality–and so have we.”
A spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign highlighted the administration’s achievements on issues important to Black Americans, including historic lows in Black unemployment, significant reductions in Black child poverty, and substantial student loan debt forgiveness. Additionally, Biden has appointed the most diverse Cabinet in U.S. history and invested billions in historically Black colleges and universities.
A Call for Focus on Domestic Issues
Marshall Mitchell, pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Abington, Pa., near Philadelphia, expressed surprise at the intense focus Black Americans have on the Gaza conflict.
“I have never heard this many or as many young African Americans concerned about foreign policy as we are hearing today,” Mitchell said. Source: The Hill
While acknowledging the political engagement as positive, he cautioned that Black voters should prioritize their own domestic issues.
“African Americans have to be hypersensitive in the complex global economy in which they live, to be sure that the interests that they live and die on are their own and not someone else’s,” Mitchell said. “While I certainly respect the interest of Palestinians, I know that the interest of African Americans economically and socially and educationally are more important than any foreign policy issue.”
