Many black political and religious leaders in Michigan support Harris for president • Michigan Advance
After 81-year-old President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election after weeks of concerns about his age, health and mental state, several leading black Democrats in Michigan told the Michigan Adagainstance They are convinced that Vice President Kamala Harris has a viable path to defeat former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Biden has officially endorsed Harris. The 59-year-old is the first woman and person of African and South Asian descent to serve as vice president.
“My very first decision as a party nominee in 2020 was to select Kamala Harris as my vice president,” Biden said. said“And it was the best decision I ever made. Today, I want to express my full support and endorsement of Kamala being our party’s nominee this year. Democrats – it’s time to come together and defeat Trump. Let’s do it.”
Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, the first African American to hold the office, said Monday that he would “do everything in my power to help Harris win.”
“I am proud to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as our Democratic nominee and the next President of the United States,” Gilchrist said Monday. “The energy and urgency she will bring to this campaign and her presidency are what we need moving forward.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who was considered as a possible presidential candidate, supported Harris.
In addition to Gilchrist, several leading African-American Democrats have already endorsed Harris, including Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes, who said Sunday that she was “highly motivated and ready to vote for Harris as Vice President in November as she works tirelessly to defend our democracy and defeat Donald Trump and his MAGA agenda.”
Detroit House Speaker Joe Tate (Democrat), the first African American to lead a legislative chamber, praised Biden’s performance and his decision to resign for the good of the country.
“It is now our responsibility as Democrats and Americans to unite behind Vice President Harris and lead our candidate to victory in November. President Biden’s decision is an example for all of us, and we cannot waste his sacrifice through division and posturing,” Tate said Sunday.
The Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus noted on Sunday that the organization supports Harris in her 2020 presidential bid and reiterated its support.
“Their plans to close the racial wealth gap and invest in our classrooms and higher education are a clear investment in our future, but also in the future of America,” said Chairman Keith Williams.
Hill Harper, who is running for the vacant U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, said in a fundraising email Sunday evening that he has “consistently and publicly expressed my strong support for Vice President Harris.”
“If elected, I would be the 13th Black senator in U.S. history. Additionally, we have the opportunity to support Kamala Harris in becoming the first Black president. This moment is monumental and together we can make history,” Harper said.
He will face U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), who is also supporting Harris, in the August 6 primary. The Republicans are former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake), former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Cascade Twp.) and Dr. Sherry O’Donnell.
In a statement on Sunday, Harris said it had been “the honor of my lifetime to serve alongside our Commander in Chief, my friend, President Joe Biden,” and also took a swipe at former President Donald Trump, albeit not by name.
“And I want to run with the record of what Joe and I have accomplished together. We rebuilt our country after our predecessor left it in ruins – we made historic progress in lowering prescription drug costs, improving our infrastructure, fighting climate change, and much more. We are stronger today because we took action – together – to invest in America’s future.”
The Democratic Party Convention will take place in Chicago from August 19 to 22. Monique Baker-McCormick, a member of the Wayne County Commission and Democrat, announced her support for Harris.
“Now more than ever, it is important that we stand together as one,” Baker-McCormick said. “We cannot allow confusion or division to weaken our resolve. There is too much at stake, and now is the time to be united. We cannot afford another term under a self-proclaimed dictator like Donald Trump, a Republican. We have made significant progress in a positive direction, and it is imperative that we continue that momentum with a Democratic leader in January 2025.”
Pamela Pugh, chairwoman of the State Board of Education and candidate for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, also supports Harris. She says the vice president is committed to abortion rights, preventing gun violence and strengthening the economy.
“She has the ability to do all that,” Pugh said.
The Democrat is running in the primary against State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) and former Flint Mayor Matt Collier. On the Republican side, 2022 Republican candidate Paul Junge, former Dow Chemical executive Mary Draves and entrepreneur Anthony Hudson are running.
On Sunday evening, the national political advocacy group Win With Black Women organized a Zoom meeting in support of Harris that was attended by 44,000 people and raised over $1.5 million, according to a report by the Grio.
Rev. Horace Sheffield III, pastor of New Destiny Baptist Church and a longtime civil rights activist, believes Harris can beat Trump, but it will be “difficult to pull it off.” He also said Harris’ chances of defeating Trump would be better if she nominates a white man as her running mate.
The most frequently mentioned possible vice presidential candidates were Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.
Some African-American leaders believed Biden should not have ended his campaign, including the Rev. Charles Williams, pastor of the Historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit and chairman of the Michigan chapter of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization led by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Williams spoke with Biden during the president’s visit to Detroit at Renaissance High School earlier this month.
“His handshake was firm, his thoughts were clear,” Williams said. “His body is just old and if we judge him by that, we should not take into account what someone who does something of substance and runs a business, a company or an organization does.”
Reverend Williams now supports Harris and has noted her experience.
“She was a U.S. senator, she was an elected official in California, and she was also a prosecutor,” he said.
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