Georgia is set to be a key battleground state in the upcoming election between Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. However, Harris may face significant challenges with one of the Democratic Party’s most crucial voting blocs: Black voters.
According to a focus group conducted by pollster James Johnson of J.L. Partners for DailyMail.com, a group of eight undecided Black voters in Democratic-leaning Cobb County expressed deep reservations about Harris.
The video of the focus group was published on Friday, and the voters had harsh critiques of the Democratic presidential nominee.
With over 30% of Georgia’s population being Black, Democrats need to win this demographic by a large margin to offset the state’s Republican-leaning voters.
Current polls suggest Trump holds a slight lead in Georgia, and if this focus group is representative of broader sentiment, Harris could struggle to make up the difference.
The voters in the group criticized Harris as being weak, lacking principles, having “woman issues,” and mishandling the economy.
Hayward, a 64-year-old retired man living on disability, voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and is considering supporting Harris, but he’s concerned she may not have the strength to lead, especially in foreign affairs.
“My thing is her strength,” Hayward explained. “You can’t be weak and hold that office.” He expressed doubt about her ability to stand up to other world leaders, describing her as “too gentle” and comparing her to a lamb. “She has to develop something she doesn’t have right now,” he added.
Bryanna, a 29-year-old software engineer who supported Trump in 2020 and is leaning toward voting for him again, criticized Harris for being all talk but no action. “She kept saying she’s a warrior,” Bryanna said, referring to Harris’s debate performance, “but I don’t think she’s a fighter, like she said.”
Jarron, a 37-year-old unemployed man with some college education, expressed concerns about Harris, citing “woman problems” as his hesitation to support her—a comment that surprised the group.
Jarron, who voted for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, said he’s still undecided.
Leonard, a 54-year-old business owner who voted for Biden in 2020 and is leaning toward Harris, also questioned whether Harris might be too emotional due to her gender.
“I hope she doesn’t make decisions based on emotions,” he said, referencing a stereotype about women. Leonard also acknowledged that the economy was better under Trump. “Everything is worse now with Biden and Harris,” he said.
Dontressa, a 52-year-old with a master’s degree who is medically retired, is leaning toward Harris but views her as a pushover compared to more prominent female figures like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.
“If you put her next to Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton, there’s no comparison,” Dontressa said. “They would eat her up.”
Ricardo, a 35-year-old machine operator who voted for Trump in 2020 and is inclined to support him again, criticized Harris for lacking principles. He compared her to a gecko, claiming she frequently changes her positions.
The feedback from this focus group highlights the significant obstacles Harris may face in winning over Black voters in Georgia, a state that is critical to the Democratic Party’s strategy in the upcoming election.
