Former President Donald Trump is urging Republicans in Michigan to target Black voters in Detroit and other predominantly African American areas in the swing state, as state GOP leaders meet to strategize for the 2024 election. Trump is pushing for outreach to African American and Hispanic voters in areas like Wayne County, which includes metro Detroit, in order to gain support that may have been critical of President Joe Biden’s handling of certain issues. Both candidates will fiercely contest Michigan, which is crucial to their electoral ambitions.
Democratic leaders in southeast Michigan are concerned about potential lack of support from Black voters, a core constituency for the party, as polling shows a decrease in approval for Biden among Black adults. However, the same polls indicate that Black adults have a low favorable view of Trump. Some community members in Saginaw, a bellwether county, were upset that Biden did not visit a Black church during a recent visit and instead met with white leaders before eventually meeting with a Black family at a public golf course, showing potential tensions within the Democratic party.
Michigan GOP leader Pete Hoekstra has been in discussions with Trump, focusing primarily on targeting nontraditional Republican and traditional Democrat voters in southeast Michigan. Trump’s campaign is interested in Wayne County, which overwhelmingly supported Biden in 2020, as well as other key counties where Trump saw success in 2016 but lost support in 2020. The Biden campaign has dismissed Trump’s efforts as desperate pandering, pointing to Trump’s record on race and healthcare as reasons why Michigan voters will not be swayed.
The Michigan GOP and Trump campaign are facing challenges in fundraising and organizing compared to the Democrats. Hoekstra recently took over the state party, which was in debt and dealing with internal conflicts after previous leadership. The party has not reached previous fundraising levels, and there is a sense of urgency to catch up to the Democrats. Biden’s team, led by the state’s Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer, has been in place for months and is well prepared for the upcoming election.
GOP leaders in large Michigan counties have met with senior Trump advisers to discuss strategy for the upcoming election, particularly in metro Detroit. There is a push for proactive outreach to Black and Hispanic voters, with a sense of urgency to start these efforts as soon as possible. The Michigan GOP is aiming to win the state, and Trump has emphasized the importance of securing Michigan for his reelection bid. The campaign is expected to announce a lead person in the state soon, while Biden’s team remains focused on their established organization and support in the state.
