In a bid to ensure a strong voter turnout in crucial swing states, Democrats are intensifying their efforts to engage Black voters, particularly Black men. Black Men Vote PAC, a political action committee, has announced its plans to spend $4 million on targeted outreach to Black men in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, urging them to show up and vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. The aim is to mobilize this demographic through social media campaigns, robust canvassing operations, radio spots, and the hiring of door knockers to highlight Harris' record and achievements.

The Democrats' heightened focus on these states signals their recognition that slim margins can ultimately determine the outcome of the election. Post-election analysis of swing states in 2016 revealed that the failure to mobilize Black voters may have cost Democrats the election. While Black voters overall tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic, recent polls have indicated a softening of support among Black men this election cycle.

Frank White, co-founder and board chair of Black Men Vote PAC, emphasized the significance of Black men in determining the election outcome, stating, "Black men can be the difference between winning and losing." White, a long-time Democratic donor, has backed Harris during her presidential primary run and has donated substantial sums to Democratic campaigns in the past, including those of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The PAC, along with its nonpartisan civic organization counterpart, has been actively engaging Black men in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia, where disillusionment about the electoral process and apathy towards the impact of voting on their lives have been observed. The PAC has already invested over $6 million in civic engagement this election cycle, implementing innovative strategies such as training barbers as voting ambassadors to facilitate voter registration. The group set a target of registering 100,000 voters, with a specific emphasis on Black men in the battleground states, and reports that they are currently 80 percent towards their goal.

Organizers are hoping to capitalize on the popularity and excitement surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris since she joined the ticket. White emphasized that the group's efforts had seen stagnation when Joe Biden was the nominee, but noted that Harris is a "better investment" to drive voter mobilization.

To gauge opinion and preferences among Black voters, the PAC commissioned a survey by HIT Strategies, polling 500 registered Black voters in states crucial for Democrats to win in November. The survey, conducted in early August, revealed that 69 percent of registered Black men hold a favorable opinion of Harris, with 66 percent planning to support her compared to just 17 percent backing former President Donald Trump. Among Black women, Trump garnered a mere 10 percent of support. Notably, 54 percent of the surveyed Black voters indicated that Harris' nomination has increased their motivation to vote in the upcoming election.

While President Trump has attempted to court Black voters by highlighting his role in criminal justice reform, the survey revealed that more than 8 in 10 Black men trusted Harris over Trump on this issue, providing a strong advantage for her campaign. Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, an organization that mobilizes Black voters nationwide, believes that as more conversations highlight the differences between Harris and Trump on matters of importance to Black men, her support will continue to grow. Albright also suggested that Harris could leverage her past role as a prosecutor to her advantage.

The Harris campaign recently hired HIT Strategies, the same firm that conducted the survey for Black Men Vote PAC. In response to concerns about potential conflicts of interest, HIT Strategies assured that there was a complete firewall in place between the two projects, with no communication or contact between the teams working on the survey and the campaign.

As the election draws near, the Democratic Party's concerted efforts to mobilize Black men in crucial swing states highlight their recognition of the pivotal role this demographic can play in shaping the outcome. By investing in targeted outreach and highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris' achievements, Democrats aim to secure a strong and decisive voter turnout come November.