Black voters power Joe Biden’s Super Tuesday success
Joe Biden,2020 Election,Race And Racism,Voting,Elections
DETROIT (AP) — Joe Biden’s presidential campaign spent the past month on the verge of collapse after disappointing finishes in the overwhelmingly white states that launched the Democratic primary. As he watched the turmoil unfold from Gadsden, Alabama, Robert Avery thought the race would change dramatically when it moved into the South.
“He knows us, he cares about us,” the 71-year-old community organizer said. “People have given us no credit as to knowing what’s going on or being involved, and that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”
It turns out Avery’s instinct was right.
After a brutal February for Biden, black voters throughout the South transformed Biden’s White House bid over the course of three days. A back-of-the-pack operation surged to front-runner status powered by support from black voters, starting with Biden’s commanding win Saturday in South Carolina and coming into full focus on Super Tuesday as he racked up wins in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.
Biden is now in a tight race with progressive rival Bernie Sanders, who emerged as the initial Democratic leader after strong performances in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada last month. Activists said Biden’s success is a reminder that the path to victory in the Democratic contest runs straight through their communities.
