Key Voters Critical Of Harris Explain Why They Reject Her

Vice President Kamala Harris, like all Democrats, must secure the support of Black voters to achieve an election victory, but she is encountering significant challenges in this area.

As more Black voters express their opinions, it's becoming increasingly clear that Harris does not have the widespread appeal she needs within this crucial demographic.

During a segment on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday, mixed-race voter Lamarie Austin-Stripling voiced her lack of connection with the vice president.

“I don’t feel a sense of kinship with [Harris],” she stated. “Her trajectory as a leader and as a woman doesn’t resonate with me. We are facing three major international crises, and someone applying to be Commander-in-Chief needs to show more than just lighthearted moments and giggling on stage.”

At a July convention, former President Donald Trump implied that Harris identifies as Black only when it is advantageous for her.

“Well, I might see things a bit differently,” he said. “I’ve known her indirectly for a long time. She always emphasized her Indian heritage, and it wasn’t until several years ago that she began to identify as Black. So, is she Indian or is she Black?”

“I respect either identity,” he added. “But she obviously doesn’t, because she was all about being Indian until she suddenly started identifying as Black.”

Former CNN host Don Lemon was taken aback when he encountered Black voters who did not support Harris.

In a conversation with MSNBC host and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Lemon suggested that many Black men support Trump simply because his name was on their stimulus checks.

“I wasn’t necessarily surprised, but it was definitely eye-opening to hear so many people, including people of color and women, saying they would support Donald Trump. I’m not sure if the polls accurately reflect the tightening race or who will support whom,” Lemon said.

“But a lot of Black men, Jen, said they supported Trump just because he gave them a stimulus check — $1,200 when he was president,” he remarked, a comment some may view as elitist.

“They didn’t seem to remember that the current president also provided a stimulus check, albeit without his name on it. I had to remind them repeatedly that the check wasn’t directly from Donald Trump; it came from a Democratic Congress. Trump delayed the checks just to have his name on them, and that branding made people think the money was from him personally,” the former CNN host explained.

Lemon continued, “This is similar to how he brands buildings in New York — he doesn’t actually own them, but by putting his name on them, people assume he does, making him appear wealthier, more influential, and more generous than he is.”

“I wasn’t surprised by their responses. I’ve been in this field long enough to know that you never know where people will land in an election. That’s their personal choice. But it’s important for voters to be informed, to have accurate knowledge when they go to the polls. The reasons they gave for supporting Trump were based on misinformation. They didn’t fully understand why they might choose to vote for him,” he concluded.