Trump questions whether Harris is ‘black’ at conference of black journalists

COURTING BLACK VOTERS

Trump has been actively courting Black voters and has held events in cities with large Black populations, including Atlanta, where he plans a rally on Saturday.

He had made inroads with Black men in particular after President Joe Biden, his former Democratic opponent, struggled to mobilize Black voters, traditionally the most loyal Democratic voting bloc. Biden won 92 per cent Black voters over Trump in 2020, according to Pew Research.

But Biden’s decision to step down in favour of Harris could make it more challenging for Trump to hold his gains.

The presidential race is likely to come down to narrow margins in a handful of battleground states. A national Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed Trump leading Harris 42-43 per cent, within the poll’s margin of error.

The National Association of Black Journalists, founded in 1975, regularly invites presidential candidates to address its annual gathering, but Trump was the first Republican to accept the offer since George W Bush in 2004.

The association’s president, Ken Lemon, said in a statement, “While we acknowledge the concerns expressed by our members, we believe it is important for us to provide our members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable.”

Trump frequently goes after the media on the campaign trail, calling news outlets the “fake news,” and sparred often with members of the White House press corps during his 2017-2021 presidency.

Harris, who did not attend the convention, is scheduled to speak to a Black sorority in Houston later on Wednesday.