About this episode:
With 68 days until the presidential election, the Republican National Convention is underway. This year, amid national protests against police violence and racism, the convention appeared to make a pointed effort to reach one unexpected audience: Black voters. While many Americans are frustrated with the system, the Trump campaign has outlined a strategy to reach this crucial voting bloc.
Black voters are typically seen as one “base” of the Democratic Party. But that doesn’t tell the full story. In 2016, Trump got just six percent of Black votes, according to NBC News exit polls. But he was more popular with Black men, 13% of whom voted for Trump in 2016. Could Republicans expect to do better in 2020? One Black male voter thinks so.
Sean Shewmake is a real estate agent and spoken word artist living in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a suburb northeast of Atlanta. He’s also a Black man who voted for Trump in 2016 and plans to again in 2020. Shewmake talks with host Trymaine Lee about his experience growing up as a Black man in Indiana, his perspectives on white supremacy in politics, and why he will vote for Trump in November.
Find the transcript here.
Further Reading:
- In Detroit, signs of increased interest among Black voters, but concerns remain
- ‘The black man’s country club’: To understand black voters, look to their barbershops
- Black male voters need education, representation