(CNN) Even after first debates, Joe Biden still holds a 20-point lead with black voters [View all]

[Skya Rhen]

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After getting attacked by Harris during the first Democratic debates over a number of racial issues (including busing), there was a real question as to whether Biden would be able to hold onto African American support.

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Despite all the press surrounding Harris' debate moment, she actually came in third among black voters (12%) behind Biden and Sanders (15%). Beyond South Carolina, other polling suggests that Harris still has work to do with black voters.

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Harris is still about 20 points behind Biden among black voters overall. In an average of four live interview national polls (ABC News/Washington Post, CNN/SSRS, NBC News/Wall Street Journal and Quinnipiac University) taken after the debate.

Biden's campaign is still largely being powered by black voters in a way Harris' campaign isn't. In the aforementioned same national polls, Biden does 17 points better among black voters than among white voters. That's very different than Harris, who does only 4 points better among black voters than white voters. It would be easy to say Biden's black voter base exists merely because he was Barack Obama's vice president. That certainly helps, but there's probably more to it than that. Biden's more moderate ideology compared to other leading Democratic presidential contenders gives him an edge with black voters, who are some of the most conservative voters in the Democratic coalition. He also does best with non-college graduates; more black voters than white voters lack a college degree.



https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/13/politics/joe-biden-leads-with-black-voters-analysis/index.html