Division amongst Black voters over backing Trump for president in 2024
FOX 2 (WJBK) - Martell Bivings is pulling double duty these days – running as a Republican for Congress out of Detroit, and working to rack up Black votes for former President Donald Trump.
And he says it’s not as hard as it may seem in a city that votes overwhelmingly Democratic.
"You have African-Americans, specifically African-American men, who are starting to lean more Republican, more conservative," Bivings told FOX 2. "I think the task is exactly what President Trump did two weekends ago over on the west side of Detroit. When he came to the city, he talked directly to the voters."
That roundtable discussion at 180 Church was co-hosted by Bivings’ campaign and was part of Trump’s effort to improve on the less than 10% of Michigan’s Black voter support he got back in 2020.
Bivings says Trump’s recent conviction in a trial focusing on hush money paid to a porn star could actually boost his appeal.
"From what I’m hearing, many African-Americans felt that during President Trump’s first term, and then everything that he’s going through in the judicial system, is kind of reflective of what they went through –their fathers have went through– and they are like ‘Wow, he feels it similar to how we are feeling it. What better person to advocate for judicial change than the person who has 34 counts?'"
But other Black voters and political activists say not so fast.
"All you Black people, you need to wake your Black selves up. Trump has done nothing for us," said Sandra Hall, who takes pride in serving as a political volunteer.
Hall says she knows exactly who will be getting her vote in November.
"Trump has not done anything for the African-American community. It’s all been a farce. People want to believe he’s done this, he’s done that – but as soon as I say to a fellow Black American ‘What has he done?’ No one has an answer," she said. "So, I feel like we understand that Biden has issues, but is he the better man of the two? Yes he is."
Then there are those who feel that neither Trump nor President Biden will make a difference in their lives.
"Honestly, I just think it’s a crap show. Politics these days – it’s a joke in my opinion," one Detroiter said. "That’s just coming from a young black man."
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