US election campaign: That’s why Harris needs black voters in the swing state Georgia

Shortly before the US presidential election, there is a lot of activity in a library in the north of Atlanta in Georgia – people can already vote there. Early voting in the state is currently breaking records. But surveys suggest participation may be higher among black Americans. In the important swing state, they make up around a third of the population eligible to vote – more than in any other of the states that are decisive for the election. This is a challenge for Democrat Kamala Harris; after all, it’s about the party base. At the same time, surveys show that Republican Donald Trump is gaining popularity among black men under 50.

“A people without a voice is a powerless people”

Martin Luther King III is not deterred by this. The eldest son of the civil rights activist murdered in 1968 and his wife Arndrea Waters King have just cast their votes in Atlanta and are now campaigning for Harris. “My father used to say that a people without a voice is a powerless people,” says the 67-year-old into the camera of a young Harris campaign assistant. The message: Trump is dangerous. It’s about the legacy of the civil rights movement.

In the dpa interview, the Kings explain that support for Harris goes far beyond questions of identity. “It’s almost insulting to think that women or black women or black men are voting for Harris just because of the color of their skin or their gender,” emphasizes Arndrea Waters King. Harris has experience, concrete plans for economic equality and she is building political bridges – in contrast to her opponent.

For Harris, such appeals are important. In 2020, Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia. Now Harris’ team is relying on prominent supporters like the Kings and on initiatives that are specifically intended to motivate black men to vote. Whether that is convincing remains to be seen. In a state where every vote counts, even a small loss could cost the Democrats dearly.

A different place, a different mood: Dealer Mack Purnell has positioned himself in front of a stadium in Duluth with Trump memorabilia. Wearing a glittering “Make America Great Again” jacket, he jokes with customers. The 38-year-old usually sells fan merchandise at football games across the country, but now he’s traveling after Trump. A little later the Republican appears here.

For Purnell, Trump embodies qualities he misses in Harris. “I love Trump because he keeps his word and is strong,” he says. He is particularly grateful to the ex-president for a criminal justice reform in 2018, which, he says, paved the way for him to get out of prison. At that time, thousands of inmates who had been imprisoned for minor offenses were released early. For many, this was an opportunity for an economic restart.

Trump is exploiting this hope for stability: in campaign speeches he often mentions the low-wage sector, speaks bluntly of “black jobs” and promises to protect them from competition from cheap labor through his immigration policy.

“Everything is twice as expensive”

This also appeals to tea. The man in his mid-forties came to Duluth with his family. What draws him to Trump? A whole range of topics, such as the high cost of living. “Bread, eggs, gasoline – everything is twice as expensive,” he complains. Although the US economy has recently recovered and prices have not actually doubled, not everyone feels this equally. Black Americans in particular struggle with larger income gaps – which is stressful. Some feel politically abandoned.

And the criticism that Trump is using racist stereotypes when he describes the first black Vice President Harris as “lazy”? Distraction, says Tee. The accusation of racism is being exploited politically, he says, and then expresses beliefs that range from election manipulation to economic conspiracies. Black Americans are disproportionately targeted by misinformation online, studies show.

“Women have to make decisions about their own bodies”

For Inez Bonita Carter, who voted for Harris in Lawrenceville, the issue of abortion is top of mind. “It’s important that women make decisions about their own bodies,” says the mother of several daughters. In Georgia, abortions are almost completely banned after the sixth week of pregnancy (often before women even know about it). For voters like Carter, this is closely linked to civil rights – because it is about individual freedom and government interference in private life.

“You have to make compromises”

Although Trump is trying to appeal to black voters, for most – especially women and the elderly – the civil rights movement and historical proximity to the Democratic Party remain crucial. For Chasbo, 85, and Peggles, 80, of Lawrenceville, that legacy is deeply personal. The couple experienced a time when they had to fight for basic freedoms. Growing up in the Deep South of the USA, they experienced firsthand what it meant not to use certain water coolers and not to be allowed to sit anywhere on the bus. Or when the police arbitrarily arrested family members – just to beat them up. These experiences still shape her today.

It is incomprehensible to them that anyone could vote for Trump. “They’re trying to exploit us again,” Chasbo says of the Republicans. Unlike Tee, he thinks Trump is racist. But despite the tension surrounding the election, Chasbo and Peggles see an opportunity for rapprochement: “If someone wins, that shouldn’t be the end,” says Peggles. “You have to compromise. It’s a give and take.”