CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Maurice Myers chose not to participate in the voting process.

The 44-year-old Pittsburgh local works as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant in Market Square while also managing his TikTok channel, which boasts nearly 10,000 followers.

According to him, the presidential election doesn’t influence his daily existence. Although he considered voting for Vice President Kamala Harris due to suggestions from his mother, he felt the Democratic candidate didn’t put in any effort to earn his support.

“I didn’t vote at all,” Myers stated. “I just didn’t see the need.”

For countless Black men, Donald Trump’s substantial victory over Harris on Tuesday felt like a punch to the gut.

Around 72 million Americans opted to reelect the former president, despite a history marked by controversies such as questioning Harris’ racial background, two impeachments, a conviction on 34 felony counts, and the events of January 6, 2021.

Trump achieved victory by retaining his core supporters and widening his appeal among Black and Latino voters—an outcome that has left many Black men pondering what missteps occurred and how to prevent them in the future.

To succeed, candidates should engage with policies and issues that resonate with Black voters, particularly men, from the outset and effectively rally Black communities around these points, suggested Khalil Thompson, a political strategist and former member of Barack Obama’s campaign team.

“I believe that neither party followed that strategy—this issue spans both Democrats and Republicans,” said Thompson, founder and CEO of the grassroots group Win With Black Men.

Historically, Black voters have played a crucial role as the Democratic Party’s most dedicated supporters, often leading to electoral victories. This includes Black men, who have consistently been among the top two progressive voting groups alongside Black women.

Though Trump didn’t secure a majority among Black voters or Latinos, he did make significant gains, attracting around 13% of Black voters nationally and 45% of Latino voters, as per CNN exit polls. In the previous election, Trump only garnered 8% of Black voters and 32% of Latinos.

For several months, Trump and his associates aimed to draw men of color away from the Democratic Party.

The campaign consistently targeted Black voters with messages regarding economic troubles, immigration, and culture wars.

Trump’s team deployed high-profile supporters to fast food joints, churches, and barbershops in predominantly Black neighborhoods, sharing similar messages.

“Racism from white individuals isn’t my primary concern,” remarked former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, whose prison sentence for corruption was commuted by Trump, in July.

“My life isn’t drastically altered by someone white making a racist comment.”

Warning signs indicated that pessimism could benefit Trump

Experts had cautioned earlier about the increasing pessimism within a segment of Black voters—mainly younger working-class men from urban areas—which could favor the former president.

A 2022 Pew Research Center survey indicated that 64% of Black Americans believed that the growing emphasis on race and racial disparity had not improved the lives of Black individuals.

Further, a 2023 Washington Post-Ipsos poll revealed that 51% of Black Americans felt that racism would worsen in their lifetimes.

This strategy proved effective, as about 30% of Black men under 45 supported Trump, nearly double the proportion from four years prior, based on AP VoteCast data.

Harris, who identifies as Black and Asian American, faced challenges due to her later entry into the race. She announced her candidacy in late July, following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal amid doubts about his chances against Trump. She had to rapidly organize her campaign just weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, with little over three months left before the election.

Supporters of the Vice President believed her numbers would improve as the election date approached.

Bakari Sellers, a political analyst with CNN and a close friend of Harris, commented in September that many polls at that time showed her receiving over 80% of the Black vote. However, he added she needed to aim for around 90% to secure victory.

Harris received 86% of the Black vote and 53% of the Latino vote, according to CNN exit polls. In contrast, during the 2020 election, Biden won an overwhelming 92%-8% majority among Black voters over Trump, along with 65%-32% among Latinos.

There are troubling indicators for the Democratic Party. Take Texas, for instance, where Trump received about one-third (34%) of the votes from Black men—a significant increase of nearly 20 percentage points compared to the previous election. In 2020, Trump garnered only 15% of Black male votes in Texas.

This past Wednesday, Win With Black Men organized an online forum with numerous Black male canvassers, strategists, and community leaders. Many participants voiced their concerns about Trump’s potential return, but they also expressed strong criticism towards the Democrats.

Ambrose Lane, the president of Million Man Vote, highlighted that while the economy under Biden has been “strong,” everyday expenses remain elevated, leading the Harris campaign to address price gouging.

“Biden could have taken action against price gouging during his time in office before handing over the reins to Kamala, but he chose not to,” he stated. “These economic factors played a vital role in how people voted.”

Some participants pointed to the intersection of racism and sexism as barriers impacting Harris’s appeal among Black men.

This issue gained attention when Obama faced backlash in October for suggesting that some Black men “aren’t comfortable with the idea of a female president.”

Studies from exit polls indicated that approximately 78% of Black men voted for Harris, more than any other male voter demographic in the nation.

During the Win With Black Men discussion, attendees pointed out that millions of eligible Black male voters in critical battleground states chose not to vote this November.

Participants voiced the need for a strategy to engage these non-voters ahead of future elections. Some even suggested that they should approach the expected Trump administration to discuss particular policy aspirations, an idea that some found unappealing.

“Black voters who align with the Republican side are voting against their own interests,” William Mitchell, a North Carolina political activist, remarked.

“Trump shows no genuine interest in helping Black men,” Mitchell continued. “In his entire 78 years, he hasn’t done anything significant for them.”

Regarding the tensions within the Black community related to gender, many participants acknowledged the crucial role Black women played in the election process.

Holli Holliday, president of Sisters Lead Sisters Vote, which researches Black women candidates for various positions, noted that Black men “approach politics differently” than Black women.

This difference, she stated, “doesn’t imply a lack of alignment.”

Thompson, a leader at Win With Black Men, mentioned that he didn’t hold Harris accountable; she entered the race late and lacked sufficient time to engage Black voters effectively.

“There was enthusiasm surrounding her candidacy,” Thompson said, “but did she have adequate opportunities to genuinely connect with Black men as a candidate?”

He pointed out that an error in strategy was the overwhelming focus on new media and social media influencers for outreach. While this may have been innovative,
“it wasn’t the approach I would have chosen,” Thompson said.

Thompson advocated for more face-to-face voter engagement and door-to-door campaigning. “Text messaging is effective since everyone has a device,” he acknowledged, “but nothing compares to direct conversations with voters.”

Looking forward, the group plans to hold a series of regional discussions focused on policies, including conversations with Black men who may have voted for Trump.

The objective, according to Thompson, is to connect with working-class Black men wherever they might be—be it in barbershops, pool halls, or biker clubs.

The group also aims to engage men like Myers, who don’t participate in elections at all.

“I remain committed to our mission of engaging Black men at a detailed level to facilitate effective community transformation – and that journey starts now,” Thompson concluded.