In what the Democratic Party is calling a bid to secure control of the U.S. House in the upcoming November elections, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has announced a $35 million investment in a comprehensive outreach initiative targeting Latino, Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian voters. ‘Power the People’ aims to persuade, organize, welcome, educate, and reach voters from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Despite the significant allocation, a notable omission from the Democratic strategy is the exclusion of the Black Press of America, a move that continues to raise eyebrows given the pressing need to engage African American voters effectively. The Democratic Party, including the DCCC, the Democratic National Committee, and the Biden-Harris re-election campaign, has thus far ignored criticism for overlooking the influential Black Press.
While the DCCC revealed that 2024 spending surpassed the $30 million expended on these voter groups in the 2022 midterm elections, concerns persist over excluding the Black Press from this financial commitment. Critics argue that the omission is particularly striking during what is widely acknowledged as modern history’s most crucial and transformative election.
During Biden’s 2020 campaign, he turned to the Black Press when it appeared that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and even New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s campaigns were gaining steam. In fact, before arriving in South Carolina, Sanders who had just romped in Nevada, held 45 delegates while Texas Democrat Pete Buttigieg was second with 26, and Biden had claimed just 15.
In Charleston, Biden met with a conglomerate of publishers from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association of America’s 250 Black-owned newspapers and media companies.
A broadcast interview led by NNPA President/CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. was followed by a national news article about the sit-down that all went viral. And after the endorsement of South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, Biden solidified the vital Black vote and dusted his competition all the way to the White House.
Missayr Boker, DCCC deputy executive director for campaigns, defended the ‘Power the People’ initiative, stating that it honors the commitment to a multiethnic coalition crucial for a robust democracy. The initiative focuses on persuading and mobilizing Latino, Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian voters to counteract what the DCCC perceives as efforts by extremist Republicans to suppress the votes of people of color.
The DCCC said its approach includes conducting in-depth research, creating multilingual media content, organizing with local leaders, and countering disinformation targeting specific communities. However, the absence of collaboration with the Black Press of America remains a point of contention.
In response to criticisms, José Muñoz, a DCCC spokesperson, emphasized the party’s commitment to “smart, targeted outreach,” which he claims recognizes the nuances not only between different ethnic groups but also within various regions and districts.
