President-elect Donald Trump secured a notable increase in support from Black men, doubling his numbers from the previous election and likely winning the highest share of nonwhite voters for a Republican since Richard Nixon.
Approximately 21% of Black men supported Trump, while Black women backed him at 7%, totaling 12% of Black voters — an increase from 8% eight years earlier, according to Edison Research.
For Black men shifting to Trump, this change reflected growing dissatisfaction with Democrats’ approach, a desire to break free from political stereotypes tied to race, and a warmer reception to GOP policies.
A sense of relatability also emerged, with Trump’s experiences resonating with some. “Through his mug shot, he saw what we’ve been going through,” said Duke Tanner, a former pro boxer granted clemency by Trump.
Tanner, convicted on a drug charge at age 24, recalled missing significant moments with his son due to his incarceration. “He didn’t want anyone else teaching him to ride a bike but me,” Tanner shared. Trump’s intervention through the First Step Act, which reduced sentences for certain federal offenses, had a profound impact on Tanner’s life and others in similar situations.
Initially, Tanner identified more with Democratic values but found Trump’s policies appealing. “Growing up Black, you were taught to be a Democrat,” he reflected.
Vice President Kamala Harris, had she won, would’ve been the first Black female president and second Black president overall. She avoided leaning on identity politics and aimed to appeal to Black men through policies like marijuana legalization. “It’s essential not to assume Black men are in anyone’s pocket,” Harris stated at a recent NABJ panel.
This idea resonates with many Black conservatives. “I was told only rich people and racists vote Republican,” said former NFL player Jack Brewer. When he first supported Trump in 2016, he faced backlash, losing friends and family connections, but now, some are reconsidering. Brewer noted that Black men increasingly reject what they see as liberal “softness” pushed by figures like Barack and Michelle Obama.
Harris did better among women, with 53% support, compared to Trump’s 45%, while Trump won a majority of men, with 55% to Harris’s 42%, per Edison Research. Trump also won 54% of Latino male voters.
Former President Obama voiced concerns about Harris’s support among Black men on the campaign trail, while Michelle Obama called on men to “take our lives seriously.” Tanner interpreted their comments as a guilt trip. T.W. Shannon, a Black Men for Trump adviser, highlighted that Black voters are essential in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin that went for Trump. He credited Trump for engaging with the Black community authentically and presenting a real plan, contrasting it with Harris’s last-minute efforts.
In response to election outcomes, some Democrats are reconsidering their approach to minority voters. Rep. Ritchie Torres warned against vilifying voters of color, emphasizing that respect and understanding are key to political attraction.
As Republicans hope to build on their gains with working-class minority voters, there is a renewed push to appeal to a broader spectrum across the political landscape.
