President Biden on Friday told Black voters he’s come through for them as recent polls show his base of support is eroding among African Americans.
Mr. Biden delivered virtual remarks at the annual convention of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization founded in 1991 by Al Sharpton.
In his speech, Mr. Biden repeatedly touted his achievements on behalf of the Black community.
“We’ve kept our promises to make some of the most significant investments in the Black community ever. Promise kept to get through the pandemic and make sure the Black community was not left behind,” he told the crowd in New York.
The president’s appearance comes as Mr. Biden’s support drops among Black voters, especially in swing states.
A Wall Street Journal poll released last week found that 57% of Black men planned to support Mr. Biden in November, with 30% saying they intend to vote for former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee.
Those numbers show that Mr. Biden’s support among African Americans is waning. Mr. Biden captured 92% of the Black vote in 2020, according to Pew Research.
A Republican presidential candidate hasn’t won more than 12% of the Black vote since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956.
The Biden campaign has stepped up its efforts to reach Black voters in recent weeks. His campaign has launched ads targeting them, arguing that another Trump term would be a “disaster” for the Black community.
Mr. Biden is among several national political figures making an appearance at the conference. Also scheduled to speak are former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, political commentator Joe Scarborough and actress Whoopi Goldberg.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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