A new poll shows former President Donald Trump gaining support among Black Georgia voters, a key Democratic stronghold nationwide and in the battleground state, marking his largest gain with this group since January.
According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll released Wednesday, the Trump campaign now has 9.2 percent support among Black voters in Georgia, up 4 points from July when he had 5.8 percent.
It also marks his biggest surge in support since the start of the year, when he had 20 percent backing from Black voters in Georgia. According to surveys conducted by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, Trump’s support among this group had been declining month by month, reaching a low point just before President Biden dropped out of the race.
Former President Donald Trump looks on during a campaign rally in Las Vegas on September 13, 2024. A new poll shows Trump gaining support among Black Georgia voters.
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Black voters comprise about one-third of Georgia’s electorate, the highest proportion in any of the key battleground states in the 2024 election. Trump’s campaign has invested significant resources to broaden his appeal, particularly through messaging that focuses on economic opportunity and crime.
Despite this uptick for Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris remains the frontrunner among Black voters in Georgia. The same AJC poll showed Harris capturing 77 percent of the Black vote, which is a solid majority but lower than what Democrats traditionally garner among this key demographic.
The poll suggests progress for Harris in Georgia with all voter groups, with Trump leading Harris narrowly in the state 47 percent to 44 percent among likely voters. About 7 percent of Peach State voters said they were undecided
Yet, some observers note that if the Democrats stand a chance at retaining the state, they need to do better among Black voters.
The Democrat still has work to do in rebuilding the coalition that helped Biden win Georgia. Harris has the support of 86% of Democrats. Meanwhile, Trump’s support remains strong within his base, with over 90% of Georgia Republicans backing his campaign.
Roughly 12 percent of Black voters remain undecided, the survey shows, leaving key votes up for grabs for both campaigns. The Republican won the state in 2016 before losing by a razor-thin margin of fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020. Every vote counts at this point, and both campaigns know it.
The biggest issue for Georgia voters has been inflation and the cost of living, cited by 27 percent. Nearly 18 percent prioritized preserving democracy, while 15 percent identified the economy as the most important issue heading into November.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, conducted by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs between September 9 and September 15 among 1,000 likely voters, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.