Opinion Today: Why is Biden struggling with Black voters?

Many people put their faith in Democrats in 2020, but change hasn't come.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 19, 2023 By Mara Gay Ms. Gay is a member of the editorial board. Recently, I set out to find some insight into a vexing political mystery: why, when the economy is surging and President Biden boasts of a long list of accomplishments, are Democratic voters so angry with the Democratic Party? To begin to answer this question I traveled to Georgia. For all the shock and awe of Trumpism, it is Joe Biden's 2020 victory in Georgia, the heart of the Old South, that has tugged at my imagination. In Atlanta and its suburbs, a multiracial coalition of voters, many of them younger and college-educated, voted for Democrats in large numbers. So too did Black voters in rural Georgia, who, though a minority in most counties, were able through high turnout to cut deep into the Republican margins of victory there. That urban-rural alliance not only delivered the winning votes that denied Donald Trump a second term in office, but also sent the first Black senator to Congress from Georgia since the fall of Reconstruction, and the first Jewish senator from the state ever. Those Democratic victories may be hard to replicate next year. Traveling through the state, I found that the Black voters who make up the backbone of the Democratic Party feel abandoned by Biden and by the party itself. Younger Black voters, in particular, feel disaffected. They have not seen the gains from Wall Street's recent highs. In rural areas of the state, especially, poverty remains widespread and grinding. Jobs are low-paying. Many, many people are working two jobs, yet struggling to cover rising rent and to put food on the table. Some have tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. Across the state, the voting rights of Black Georgians — many the descendants of Americans enslaved in the same lands — remain under threat from efforts by Republicans and their allies to erode their political power. In dozens of interviews, I didn't find a single Black Georgian under any illusion the Republican Party planned to serve her interests. But many said they are beginning to wonder whether Democrats planned to serve their interests, either. Read the essay: José Ibarra Rizo for The New York Times Mara gay The Disappointed Voters Biden Needs to Win Georgia Many Black voters say they doubt the Democratic Party understands their problems or is committed to improving their lives. By Mara Gay Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Guest Essay The Year A.I. Became the User and We Became the Tool For me, the journey began when I asked ChatGPT who I was. By Vauhini Vara More From Opinion Michelle Goldberg Make a New Year's Resolution to Fight Trump To combat authoritarianism, first combat fatalism. By Michelle Goldberg Paul Krugman Beware Economists Who Won't Admit They Were Wrong This isn't the recession they were looking for. By Paul Krugman Guest Essay Trump Has Always Wanted to Be King. The Supreme Court Should Rid Him of That Delusion. The court should rule on the question of presidential immunity, and it should do so on an accelerated timetable. By Kate Shaw Some Very Difficult Questions About Israel and the War in Gaza From Zionism to cease-fires — Ezra Klein answers listeners' questions. By 'The Ezra Klein Show' There's Hope for Peace in Gaza Three experts tell us how. By Diana Buttu, Peter Beinart, Bernard Avishai and Derek Arthur Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Tarini Sharma letters Hospitals and Profits: Should They Coexist? Readers react to a guest essay about how nonprofit hospitals operate. Also: A disgraced Rudy Giuliani; why the pessimism? We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018