Michigan’s lack of black representation may pose a challenge for Biden in November
Great Stakes: The Fight for Victory in Michigan
Lack of Black Democratic Party Representation in Washington
Michigan voters have an outsize impact on who will win the White House and which party will carry the House and Senate in 2024. In this series, the Washington Examiner will look at the thorny politics and unique matters that will swing the critical battleground state. Part five, below, examines the lack of black Democratic Party representation in Washington.
DETROIT, Michigan — Michigan’s largest city is not represented by a black member of Congress for the first time in more than half a century, but the Democratic primary for Detroit’s 13th Congressional District underscores a broader problem for the party and President Joe Biden.
Four years after black voters helped Biden win the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, prominent members of the community have expressed concerns that the powerful voting bloc is once again being taken for granted, particularly as the president tries to appeal to working-class voters in battleground states such as Michigan. However, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Director Adam Hollier, a young black and Native American man and former state senator, is hoping his campaign can simultaneously address those concerns and provide support for Biden.
In addition to improving constituent services and criticizing the rise of self-funders in electoral politics, Hollier, 38, is emphasizing his race in his primary against Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) for the Motor City, which has more than 621,000 residents, three-quarters of whom are black. To put those numbers into perspective, Biden won Michigan over then-President Donald Trump in 2020 by 154,000, but Trump won the state over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 11,000.
“You can’t talk about what matters to people by ignoring who they are,” Hollier told the Washington Examiner. “Race is important for a variety of reasons. Gender is important for a variety of reasons. Sexual identity and orientation are important for a variety of reasons. Because they impact decisions that we have in front of us.”
“There are some real challenges in Detroit where black voters or black people don’t feel like the opportunities are moving forward for them,” he said. “Let’s talk about that.”
Thanedar, 69, an Indian-born former businessman and Michigan House lawmaker, is a first-term incumbent after winning the 2020 primary against Hollier by 4,000 votes, in part because a crowded, predominately black field of nine candidates diluted the black vote. But this cycle, Hollier intentionally announced early and had conversations with possible contenders.
Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters, the only other black candidate actively running in the primary, agreed: “Frankly, these are disappointing times when, arguably, America’s blackest city is without black congressional representation.”
“However, just a black face without the commitment to truly represent a district wallowing in poverty to take on inhumane corporate apologists for the status quo would be equally disappointing,” Waters said in a statement. “The Michigan Democratic Party is stagnant and out of touch with true grassroots folk in Michigan and should never be allowed to pick one black candidate for any office. That is antithetical to democracy and racist in its implications.”
Similarly, Hollier amplified the importance of the message and the messenger, predicting Trump will campaign in Michigan with the state’s only black member of Congress, Rep. John James, a Republican.
“Donald Trump is going to come to Michigan and have his arms around John James and say, ‘Look, black guys, what are the Democrats doing?'” he said. “Which is one of the big reasons it’s so important for me to win my primary and make sure that Michigan and Democrats have a counter to that.”
Thanedar nor James responded to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
For Wayne State University political science professor Ronald Brown, the Democratic Party’s primary process had “structure” problems, and incumbents are “hard to beat.” University of Michigan-Dearborn professor emeritus Ronald Stockton acknowledged the Detroit black community’s “dissatisfaction” with its lack of representation but was more complimentary of Thanedar, calling him “charming” and “personable.”
“When he ran for governor, I liked him,” Stockton said. “I don’t think I would have voted for him, but he was articulate, and he raised the right issues. I don’t like billionaires running, funding themselves, but he was credible. He looked persuasive.”
Democratic political consultant and commentator Adolph Mongo was less charitable toward Thanedar but argued Hollier was not managing “a good campaign,” encouraging him to “get their message out.” More generally, Mongo scrutinized Biden for only meeting with mostly white union workers in Michigan and the Democratic Party at large for only reaching out to the black community “in a crisis.”
“I guess it is a crisis because we have a lot of folks that are disenchanted with the president,” Mongo said. “Clinton lost Michigan because she did not send anything to the city of Detroit. She came once in a controlled setting, and that was it. She lost by several thousand votes that she could have picked up. It’s the same criticism. It’s like Groundhog Day. We complain every election. We don’t get any respect.”
“The Democratic Party better get their act together. That’s all I can say,” Mongo said, arguing apathy may keep black voters home in November. “They think at the end of the day, the black voters are going to come home, and the Arab voters are going to come home, and the Latino voters are going to come home. They’re going to come home to their home and not to the Democratic home because a nonvote for President Biden is a vote for Donald Trump.”
The Rev. Horace Sheffield III, chairman of the Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, broadened the matter of representation beyond Detroit, contending that “it’s no different from the need of any other group whose community needs protection and advocation to have its own representation.”
“No one knows our problems or needs better than us, and therefore, we are best suited to advocate on our behalf,” Sheffield said. “Additionally, for over 50 years, Detroit, a city with a majority black population, enjoyed one if not two representatives in Congress. Now, we have none. This should not be so. The consequences of not having our own representative in Congress means our voice is not heard and our needs are not addressed.”
Specifically regarding Biden, Tiffany Funderburk, an enrollment specialist at Detroit-based Pathways Academy, described herself as being “satisfied” but not “happy” with the president because, although he is introducing “changes and improvements,” “there’s so much more to do.” In this week’s Emerson College Polling/Hill survey of Michigan voters, Biden won black voters over Trump, 68% to 21%, but his margin of victory was smaller when respondents considered third-party candidates, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein, 61% to 18%.
“What I would say to him is let’s concentrate on the people at large and not agendas,” Funderburk said. “I don’t think that black women need special privileges. I don’t think that the queer community needs special privileges. I just think if the president is concentrating on just being fair to people, that would be all-inclusive. I think that it calls out people, and it causes this unnecessary bias and prejudice among people because it seems you’re more concerned about this community than that community when the truth is, let’s just make a level playing field.”
Sheffield continued: “Biden is doing enough. What we now need is to add our efforts to his so we can make more progress.”
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President Joe Biden, center, takes photos with patrons at They Say restaurant during a campaign stop on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Harper Woods, Michigan. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
What urgent and committed actions should the Democratic Party take to address the lack of black representation in Washington and prioritize the needs and concerns of the black community
D stated. “It is important for black voters to see themselves reflected in their elected officials and to have their voices heard in the political decision-making process.”
The lack of black Democratic Party representation in Washington is not just a problem for Detroit, but for the entire state of Michigan. The state has a long history of being a key battleground in presidential elections, and the black vote has played a significant role in determining the outcome. In order for the Democratic Party to secure victory in Michigan and across the country, it must address the concerns of the black community and ensure their representation in Washington.
Hollier’s campaign is an important step in the right direction. By emphasizing his race and focusing on the issues that matter most to black voters, he is working to ensure that their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed. It is crucial for the Democratic Party to recognize the importance of racial representation and to actively support candidates who can effectively advocate for the needs of the black community.
However, Hollier’s campaign alone is not enough. The Democratic Party as a whole must do better in reaching out to and engaging with the black community. It cannot simply rely on the black vote during election seasons, but must work to build meaningful relationships and address the systemic issues that continue to affect black Americans.
The lack of black Democratic Party representation in Washington is a problem that goes beyond just one election cycle. It is a long-standing issue that needs to be addressed with urgency and commitment. The party must prioritize the needs and concerns of the black community and actively work to elect more black representatives at all levels of government.
The stakes are high for the Democratic Party in Michigan. Black voters have historically played a crucial role in determining the outcome of elections, and their support is essential for the party’s success. It is time for the party to acknowledge the challenges faced by the black community and to take meaningful action to address them. The fight for victory in Michigan begins with ensuring that black voices are heard and black representation is prioritized in Washington.
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