A CNN panel erupted after a conservative pundit said Kamala Harris is losing the black male vote because of the Democrats’ obsession with transgender issues.
GOP strategist Scott Jennings made the comments on Sunday on State of the Union during a discussion on the Democratic Party‘s struggles with male voters ahead of the November presidential election.
‘I think what they are now finally in October coming to realize is that a lot of men think Democrats care more about dudes who want to become women than dudes who just want to be dudes,’ Jennings said of Harris’ polling numbers, which show her struggling with black male voters.
‘And no hunting cosplay or cringey videos is going to change it. The bed is made.’
Jennings fellow panelists including democratic strategist Doug Thornell interrupted him, saying ‘no, no,’ as he claimed voters think Democrats are too focused on transgender issues.
GOP strategist Scott Jennings claimed Kamala Harris is losing support because Democrats’ focus on ‘dudes who want to become women’
The panel had been discussing a New York Times/Siena College survey that showed 51 percent of registered male voters support Trump, compared to 40 percent who back Harris.
Harris’ presidential campaign has been under pressure to win more votes from black men in particular, with polls revealing she is in a lower standing by the voting bloc than Joe Biden when he ran in 2020.
While 85 percent of black men said they would vote for Biden in 2020, 75 percent said they would vote for the current vice president.
The vice president’s so-called ‘opportunity agenda for black men’ is meant to invigorate African American males at a moment when there are fears some may sit out the election rather than vote for Harris or her opponent, Republican former President Donald Trump.
Harris has unveiled plans to legalize recreational marijuana and create ‘forgivable’ business loans for black entrepreneurs in a bid to win the black vote.
Her new plans include providing forgivable business loans for black entrepreneurs, creating more apprenticeships and studying sickle cell and other diseases that disproportionately affect African American men.
Harris’ push comes after former President Barack Obama suggested last week that some black men ‘aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president.’
Jennings fellow panelists including democratic strategist Doug Thornell interrupted him, saying ‘no, no,’ as he claimed voters think Democrats are too focused on transgender issues
Democratic Strategist Doug Thornell was also part of the panel on Sunday
‘We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running. Now, I also want to say that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers,’ Obama said.
He continued: ‘Part of it makes me think – and I´m speaking to men directly – part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren´t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you´re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.’
‘You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses. I’ve got a problem with that.’
The Harris campaign also has been working to increase support among other male voting blocs, including Hispanics, by founding the group ‘Hombres con Harris,’ Spanish for ‘Men with Harris.’ The latest policy rollout is notable because it comes with the stated purpose of motivating black men to vote mere weeks before Election Day.
As her campaign has done with the ‘Hombres’ group, Harris’ team plans to organize gender-specific gatherings.
Those include ‘Black Men Huddle Up’ events in battleground states featuring African American male celebrities for things like watch parties for NFL and NCAA football games.
The campaign says it also plans new testimonial ads in battleground states that feature local black male voices.
Harris’ presidential campaign has been under pressure to win more votes from black men in particular, with polls revealing she is in a lower standing by the voting bloc than Joe Biden when he ran in 2020
Black Americans strongly supported Joe Biden when he beat Trump in 2020. Harris advisers say they are less worried about losing large percentages of black male support to the former president than that some will choose not to turn out at all.
Trump, too, has stepped up efforts to win over black and Hispanic voters of both genders. He has held roundtables with black entrepreneurs in swing states and will sit for a townhall sponsored by Spanish-language Univision this week.
He also has sought to openly stoke racial divisions, repeatedly suggesting that immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally are taking jobs from black and Hispanic Americans.
