President Biden told Black voters in Milwaukee on Wednesday that his economic agenda has increased the economic opportunities available to them and boosted their community, despite eroding support from the key part of his Democratic base.
In his last campaign pitch of 2023, Mr. Biden spoke to the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce, telling the enthusiastic audience that his administration is creating a boom for Black-owned businesses and Black Americans in general.
“Since [Vice President] Kamala [Harris] and I have entered office, America has filed a record number of applications to start new businesses. It has led to the fastest growth of Black business ownership in over 30 years,” Mr. Biden said. “Across the country, wages for workers are up, Black wealth is up a record 60% since the pandemic. We’re just getting started.”
Despite Mr. Biden’s rosy depiction of the economy, data shows that soaring inflation and sky-high grocery prices have hit Black communities especially hard.
Wage gains have cooled more dramatically for Black workers than other Americans. The median weekly earnings for full-time employed Blacks workers when Mr. Biden took office in January 2021 was $304. It was $299 in the third quarter of this year, according to Labor Department statistics. For all other communities, it was $365 per week.
The unemployment rate for Black workers fell to a record low of 4.7% in April but rose to 5.8% in October. That outpaced the increase for American workers overall.
“You have a cumulative 17% inflation rate during this president’s administration, so this is pounding everyone in society, and some could argue it’s certainly hurting some folks worse than others,” said Wisconsin GOP Chairman Brian Schimming during a conference call with reporters.
Mr. Biden made the trip to Wisconsin amid falling poll numbers, especially among Black voters. Wisconsin is a critical swing state, and Mr. Biden barely edged out Mr. Trump to win the state by less than 20,000 votes in 2020.
“Joe Biden is in Wisconsin today for one reason — he’s in trouble,” Mr. Schimming said. “Not only in this state but in every swing state across the country. Voters say the No. 1 issue is the economy, and voters are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the economy.”
Recent polls show Mr. Biden’s support among Black voters is shrinking. Some are threatening to withhold their support in 2024, while others are drifting toward Mr. Trump.
The lack of enthusiasm among Black voters could prove fatal to Mr. Biden’s reelection chances. They formed the core of Mr. Biden’s base in 2020, and a dip in just one or two battleground states, such as Georgia or Michigan, could determine the election outcome.
An EPIC-MRA poll released last month found that only 62% of Black respondents would support Mr. Biden for a second term. Of those who didn’t support the president, 17% said they would vote for Mr. Trump and 17% were undecided.
A poll by The New York Times/Siena College revealed that 22% of Black voters in six battleground states would support Mr. Trump and 71% would back Mr. Biden in a theoretical rematch.
Those numbers show that Mr. Biden’s support in Black communities is waning. Mr. Biden captured 92% of the Black vote in 2020, compared with 8% who turned out for Mr. Trump, according to Pew Research.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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