Black women have always been a powerful voting bloc for the Democratic Party, but many who are running for office feel snubbed by the Party, according to a report by Axios.
During the 2016 Presidential election, 94% of Black women voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump and during Alabama’s special election last year, when 98% of Black women voters helped Democrat Doug Jones defeat his Republican opponent Roy Moore.
Around 43 Black women are running for office as Democrats, but only one woman, Illinois’ Lauren Underwood, has support from the national party, Axios reports.
“They can keep pretending like we don’t exist or come out against us as candidates, but they’ll realize the best way to uphold our Democracy is to encourage it,” U.S. Senate candidate for Delaware Kerri Harris told Axios.
One hurdle that Black female candidates are facing is lack of money, which is why the Democratic Party isn’t offering their support.
“These are organizations that are meant to help make sure black interests are represented and yet everybody is looking at who’s more electable based on money,” said Alabama congressional candidate Audri Scott Williams.
