ATLANTA — Black voters in Georgia are reacting to the remarks former President Donald Trump made regarding the ethnicity of Vice President Kamala Harris.
She is now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden ended his bid for reelection. The Democratic National Convention will select its candidate later this month to face off against Trump come November.
During an appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, Trump said, "She was always of Indian heritage. And she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black. Until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know. Is she Indian, or is she Black?"
PolitiFact fact-checked the allegation, reporting that the claim was inaccurate.
Michael Benson of Stockbridge is an African American who said the comments don't deter him from liking the Republican former president because he believes Trump can improve the economy.
"I just think Trump's the best guy to win seriously, you know," Brown said.
Benson was unmoved by the characterization Trump made Wednesday of Harris.
"I don’t think he meant any harm," Benson said, adding he was inclined to 100% give Trump a pass for the remarks.
Elaine Green said Trump’s question about ethnicity is commonplace because she’s heard it herself.
"And yes, it is annoying. I’m a fair skinned African American person. So I’m questioned about what my race is," Green said.
She said she identifies with Harris as a public servant and as the target of such an inquiry.
"As a D9 sister, a Divine 9 sister, we always have rallied around her and I don’t think she has much more to explain," Green said Thursday, as she referenced the group of sororities and fraternities that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
Another Harris supporter, Rochelle Green, said she believes Trump said his comment to stir his base supporters.
"I’m proud to say that I’m Black. I don’t go into the heritage talk about what I might be mixed with. I’m a Black woman," Green said.
In general, the presidential race dynamic has shifted since Harris entered the race. And Republican strategist Leo Smith, who is not supporting Trump, thinks this will be part of that shift. He was a one-time GOP outreach specialist to minority communities in Georgia.
"The needle is going to be moved because you have a new, different, fresher, more agile candidate on the Democrat side," Smith stated. "And you have a lot of independent voters, suburban moms, etcetera who I think are going to be taking another look at their candidates."
Smith said Trump’s talk of Harris’s ethnicity will get kudos from folks already supporting him but will backfire with many voters on the fence.