Why Black Men Drifted From Democrats (and How to Win Them Back)

The Find Out Podcast

The episode features Mike Bland, Executive Director of Black Men Vote, discussing the political shift of Black men away from the Democratic Party.

Key takeaways

• Mike Bland identifies Black men as the 'last persuadable base' in the current American electoral landscape.
• The Democratic Party is criticized for failing to engage Black men with direct communication like texts or calls until late in campaigns.

Main topics

• Black male voter engagement
• Economic messaging strategies

Notable quotes

The math ain't math.

Conclusion

To win back drifting demographics, political parties must move beyond

Transcript preview

Speaker 4 (0:07) Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Find Out Podcast. You've got three of us today. You've got Rich, Luke, and Tim. Zach's dog had to go to the vet. That is an actual story. It's, I guess, not Speaker 3 (0:18) a joke. Speaker 4 (0:19) The dog ate his homework scenario, but his dog is old, so I'm not surprised. Ralph. It's the cutest dog, too. He's like, you know, he's a little pug. He's as Speaker 2 (0:28) tall and wide as he is long. Oh, yeah, you met him. That's right. Ralph is amazing. I Speaker 4 (0:33) don't know if Ralph's doing too well. But anyways. Much, much different conversation than that. We are very lucky to have a guest with us today. His name is Mike Bland, and he is the executive director of an organization called Black Men Vote. Speaker 1 (0:47) Mike, Speaker 4 (0:48) how are you? Speaker 1 (0:48) I'm doing good, Tim. Good to see you, my brother. Thank you for having me today, man. Speaker 4 (0:52) Yeah, you too. Yeah, we met a couple weeks ago on a Zoom, and I think we agree on a lot of things, and I'm really excited to have you on the show to talk about an area that the three of us... don't have a lot of experience in, and that is how to get black men to vote on our side, the things you're seeing. So I know you did some research earlier this year, but before we dive into that. Can you just tell us the mission of Black Men Vote, though it's probably self-explanatory in the name, but tell everybody what you guys do. Speaker 1 (1:19) No, you know, and thank you for that, because sometimes folks don't know, right? I mean, folks use names for various things and it gets chopped up and screwed. But, you know, the reality is we need to move Black men from the margins to the center of democracy, right? They don't see themselves in this thing called democracy, the electoral process. So the equation is simple, Tim, right? A plus B equals C. A, we need Black men to vote. Then we need them to advocate. And then the C variable. Right. To the equation is change. And that's how this thing is going to happen. So I'm happy to do this work. I'm happy to be a black man vote in such a pivotal time where black men are according to his strategies of research last year and this year, the last persuadable base that's left in this country. So you talk about swinging an election, believe it or not, it's going to happen with the brothers in the state. Speaker 4 (1:59) Well, yeah, let's dig into that, because I think that, you know, the Democratic Party for a very long time has, you know, sort of their their success has sort of been. Speaker 4 (2:08) based on the Black vote, both Black men and Black women. And I think in 2024, unfortunately, we saw some backsliding on those numbers for Democrats. Why do you think that is? Well, Speaker 1 (2:20) I think a few things can be true. I don't think it's just one. I don't think it's one thing. I think the first thing is, you know, for the longest time, the Democratic Party didn't talk to Black Speaker 4 (2:29) men. Speaker 1 (2:29) I mean, I'm pretty sure my white brothers, you can relate to. You don't get the text messages. You don't get the phone calls. You barely get the emails. You don't get invited. to a town hall, right? You're actually written off as a base that will go vote for Republicans, right? But you give a damn, right? And the reality is the same notion with Black men. The other thing is this, you know, look, the highest margins we've seen Black men vote in this country since, believe it or not, since the 2025 elections was, you know, 2008 with Barack Obama. And so I think one of the things that we all believe was hope and change, right? The one thing I felt so bad with Barack Obama being the first black president, because everybody thought he was going to be the president just for black America. And the changes that we needed were just going to happen for black folk. But he's the president of the United States, not the president of black America. OK, so and that's why I think you started seeing this kind of thing dissipate where like, hey, this thing doesn't work for us. We don't you know, you guys tell us to vote, but we don't see the outcomes. And so here we are today. Speaker 4 (3:29) Yeah. And is that a lot of that from what you have seen? Is that based on like coming out of covid? Is it like a decades long struggle? Because you're right. Like, I mean, there are usually pages on, you know, the DNC website for for white men. Right. Where you usually talk about. And I think you've probably seen some of the similar. But like, what was it about was Trump? Was it literally just a like, I'm I'm voting for something different rather than him? Because I think a lot of us just trying to understand how all people voted for Donald Trump. in general, but like like moving backwards and both were black and Latino men and white men stayed notoriously bad. Yeah. So I just would. Yeah. Your thoughts on that? Speaker 1 (4:06) You know, so, you know, I should have finished this. All things can be true. Right. There is misogyny in there. Right. You do have a subset of the black electorate that say ultimately they didn't want to vote for a woman. And that's a real thing. And that just is not black men. That's all brothers. Right. So but the reality is that is a thing. But I also want to kind of dispel that notion that, you know, black men or men in general were not ready for a woman president. The reality is that men did vote for Hillary Clinton. This country did vote for a woman president. She did win a popular vote. So we're going to be real, right? This country is ready for a woman president. Do I think she had enough time? I don't know. As you know, Tim, I was on the campaign. So, you Speaker 2 (4:45) know, Speaker 1 (4:45) like I felt like we got there and then it Speaker 2 (4:47) ended. Speaker 1 (4:47) Right. Like it was just so fast. But I think the other thing is there's this miscalculation of what results for black men need to look like. Oftentimes you hear the same thing, which is recidivism and marijuana. Right. You don't hear, hey, I have to figure out how to pay for daycare. Speaker 2 (5:02) Hey, Speaker 1 (5:03) I have to figure out how to pay for higher education. Same time while paying for daycare. Hey, gas is a lot for me, too. Hey, you know what? You told me to do everything that my white counterpart. You told me to go to high school, go get my degree, maybe go get a master's or go get a double master's and let alone start a career. I can't get a job. I'm telling you the biggest pathway for my place in capitalism is entrepreneurship, and nobody talks about it, right? So it's like crypto has made more black millionaires recently than anything else. So when we talk about what black men really want, it's really capitalism, entrepreneurship, right? They're really focused on their families. How can they provide for their families? Mental health resources. And then the very one that undergirds all that is they give a shit about their family, Speaker 4 (5:44) right? Speaker 1 (5:45) Don't take my advice. What Forbes came up with the research and they said that black men are the most active fathers in America. Right. So it's like, how do I take care of my children? How can I provide for my children? And these issues don't necessarily matter. They don't necessarily mirror, I guess, your everyday, you know, Democratic. Hey, we've got to go get this white woman from suburbia, Pennsylvania, because she's sporadic voter. Why not go get five brothers out of Philly? Right. Right. As Speaker 2 (6:10) they Speaker 1 (6:11) say, the math ain't math. And that's what the young kids say. Not me. The math ain't math. Right. So we could do a better job, you know, as the Democratic Party could do a better job for sure. Speaker 4 (6:21) So you you mentioned at the top something that was probably a bit eye opening for folks, which is that the black men are the last swingable or gettable demographic in the country. So what what led you? How? Break that down for us, because I think, you know, like you, like Democrats have notoriously gotten 70, 80, 90 percent of black men vote. So what did Democrats how what did Democrats do wrong? Because clearly we we were not communicating effectively with this community in order for them to take a shot with with the Donald Trump. I Speaker 1 (6:54) think it's failed leadership, failed results. The attraction to Donald Trump wasn't because they thought he had the best policy south of heaven. No, absolutely not. They saw what they saw. You know, everybody remembers the book, The Art of a Deal. Everybody remembers Apprentice. So, you know, growing up, I am, as my kids call me, a geriatric millennial. I do remember there was a time that people paid attention to Donald Trump. They read his books. They watched his shows. And he was this millionaire or he was a billionaire. He had the limousines and, you know, be it all. We're like, damn, fuck it. Like, I want to be like that, too. Right. I want to I want to I want to be like that. And believe it or not, when's Speaker 4 (7:23) the Speaker 1 (7:23) last time you saw somebody like that come out of the Democratic Party? Don't worry, I'll wait. Right. So when you're going to be waiting for a while. Yeah. Right. And I guarantee I call myself a geriatric millennial. I guarantee you that person geriatric. Right. So the reality is when we think about how we go to the next level and it's not just because he was just a rich white guy was, you know, he failed or like a lot of times he kept failing and he came back. He kept failing and he came back. So it was just like, hey, that's kind of like me. Right. And so that was the attraction, I think, immediately with Donald Trump. I'll go even further and say, you know, the issues that. The issues that oftentimes Democratic, you know, pollsters kick over to candidates are led by white pollster groups. Right. And so, like, I'm not going to move and I won't name any pollsters because I probably worked with, you know, all of the good ones. Right. A lot of the ones. But when you talk about attracting the black community, I'm sorry, as a black man, albeit all as a girl that I am a girl that. But choice is not getting me off the couch. Yeah. Right. But if you talk to me, you said this, Tim. You ready? And I'm glad I'm saying this for the first time. I was talking to a group of brothers about the big day that we're planning, which is National Black Male Voter Day on October 24th. And they said, well, y'all not talking about choice. And I said, well, you're talking to black athletes, telling the black athletes to not participate or go to schools at ACC and SEC. I said, but you don't say that to young black girls. What do you mean? Well, if you, if there was a choice agenda, the people who could actually move that, what if you told the black young girls in this country, don't go to schools in ACC or ACC? Right. Think about how quick that would change. Right. But because we're talking about voting rights and young black men who are getting the most money they've ever seen in their lives. Now we're like, wait, now you're going to take them. Now you're going to take money out of his pocket. So, you know, I think oftentimes we get messed up in our messaging. We think this one blanket poll and it's weighted by three percent. There's a two percent margin of error. Like, no shit. Go take the time in the town hall in Philly or Detroit or Flint. Right. Like, let's go to these places. And it's not that hard. Oh, by the way, they're just not at the barbershops. Right. Speaker 4 (9:22) Can Speaker 1 (9:22) we get rid of that game plan? Oh, go to the barbershop and talk to the brother. I don't want to be bothered about politics when I'm sitting in the barbershop. I was going to say, would Speaker 4 (9:30) you like, let's say like me, like a white guy from Maine, like the way to win you over is to go to the barbershop that I've never been to in my life? Speaker 2 (9:37) Right. Speaker 4 (9:38) Like, hello, Speaker 2 (9:39) fellow fellow men. Yeah, I know. That's just Speaker 4 (9:41) the way like, you know, like I would have no it's it just feels like I mean, I know politicians on both sides have done it forever, but it just it feels so pandering because it's like, yeah, I want to meet people. But like do it like try to be like this is this is also my experience, which is absolutely not true. You know, like the barbershops that mostly white people go to don't this. It's very different. Right. But like you get that stereotype. So what would be a better way? Because what are the things? I heard, and I want to get your thoughts on this because you've done a lot of on-the-ground work on campaigns too. I had heard that in Philadelphia in particular where Kamala's vote was a little soft. That's partially why she lost Pennsylvania. And I had heard, and you tell me if this is correct or not, but some of these communities had not heard from anybody on our side until it was the last four years when we needed votes. And we were sending a lot of, you know. white, wealthy people from Manhattan, because this is what you do in campaigns, right? When there's not a competitive race in one state, you ship people to the other state. And so you've got these people, frankly, probably looking a lot like me knocking on the door in these places and then talking about like, did they feel, you know, all of the benefits of the Biden administration? But they're like, we haven't seen you. Is that is that something that has caused some, let's say, positions to wander or people to wander to other sides because we haven't done a good job? of making the case of why Speaker 1 (11:04) black men should vote for Democrats? Absolutely. And I'll tell you, one of the biggest problems is the disinvestment into organizations. And I'm not just making, I'm not making a plea up, Lloyd. You can talk to 50 to 100 black consultants and they say, why is it that we are dropping people in nationally versus putting the money in these neighborhoods? Actually, and for like how teaching them how to organize. You know, I think oftentimes, and this is when I listen to some of these guys nationally and all they're such great campaign architects. And I'm like, who are they talking to? Like, who is their validator? Because I do remember one of the things I say, people forget how great, not good, how great young Black folks are great at organizing. You don't, you don't, I don't need to preach to you civil rights because that's one point. Then I can even go further and go reconstruction, right? Then we can talk about industrialism and all the Black millionaires, billionaires that came out of that. But fast forward, you think of the George Floyd, you think of things that happened, you know, last five, six years. how quick did they organize, right? By the click of a button. And I'm like, we're struggling to get 50,000 folks to like us on Instagram just organically because they're a guy and they go to high school. They got 100,000 followers. I'm like, what do they do? They're talking about lollipops and shit on Instagram. I'm Speaker 3 (12:12) like, Speaker 1 (12:12) I'm actually doing something. And then on campaigns, oh, let me just drop somebody in that's not from the neighborhood. Tim, no disrespect. I may come to the door when you knock on it, but... Tim, do you really feel like going to North Philadelphia and knocking doors? Like, this is what it takes to save democracy? Forget that shit, right? Like, Speaker 4 (12:29) no. But Speaker 1 (12:31) if they saw their barber, if we really invested, whether it be their barber or their AAU coach or their AYF coach slash Pop Warner coach or the person who's the guidance counselor, the person that they actually trust in their neighborhood, we invested in them because guess who did it? Donald Trump. He was passing out money like Tic Tacs to the C4. Right. Oh, yeah. Video for me. Here you go. Here goes. Here goes $50,000. Oh, you want to you know, you want to host a town hall for me? Here you go. And you got Cubans on a boat singing vote for Donald Trump in Florida. Right. Wait, since when? Well, and Speaker 4 (13:02) I think what for those of you who don't know what Mike's what Mike's talking about is is basically getting like doing events in areas with other creators, influencers, whatever. And Republicans pay those people like. 10x what Democrats do. We've seen, we've talked about this a lot, and I know it's sort of, oh, here come the creators again, but, like, it's real. Like, I think, who was it, Luke or Rich, that was like, I got pitched by two, oh, Maria Comstock. Maria Comstock, years ago, who's, like, does national security stuff, she's at the UN a few weeks ago. She's, I think, friends with all of us. Like, she put up, like, because no one knew her political affiliation, even though it was left, and she got an offer from a Republican group and an offer from a liberal group. And the Democratic side was like two thousand dollars and the Republican side was like twenty, twenty five, thirty grand, something like that. So what you're saying, Mike, is that he is going into these areas that have a high percentage of of people of color and he's working with their because he's paying them money. And then all of a sudden they've got megaphones. He's got a megaphone. And like you said, and like, you know, in Miami, for example, where we have suffered massive losses and in other places like they threw money at the problem. And I think Kamala still outspent him overall. Oh, yeah. But he was spending it with those types of things. And the reality is it worked better. Speaker 1 (14:19) Well, talk about this notion of spending. I'll throw you one. And be it all, I know where we all stand on this podcast, even me. Here's one thing that drives me crazy. And this is what black men, it didn't matter if we were in Virginia. It didn't matter if we were in New Jersey. We're getting this messaging from Wisconsin. They're like, why do we keep attacking millionaires? So like, you want to penalize me if I make it? Wait, time out. Nah, I wouldn't. So if we're boys, right, man, just think about how simple, because people don't like, politics is actually so simple. It's like dating, right? So if you're bad at, if you're like, you know, I can kind of tell the good operatives because, you know, I'm like, you know, okay, that's why her wife, you know, his wife is beautiful or her husband is beautiful. They get it. They're Speaker 3 (14:58) good at Speaker 1 (14:59) dating, right? Like, this is dating. So imagine if we're dating, Tim, you're a millionaire. And I'm like, oh, I don't want to talk to you because you're a millionaire. Right. I'm out. Right. But, you know, like that's part of that's part of the problem. I'm not saying billionaires are like, oh, we got to give back. But again, entrepreneurship, if you did the research and I blame won't say names of specific organizations or fractions of our of our part, they don't even they won't even pull black men. They'll call me. Oh, can we see the polling