Stephen A. Smith, a prominent ESPN commentator, expressed his concern about the unwavering allegiance of African-American voters to the Democratic Party during the Front Office Sports Tuned In Summit.
Smith argued that this unyielding loyalty is a disservice to the black community, as it diminishes their political power.
As reported by the Daily Caller, Smith's comments were made during a debate on Front Office Sports' YouTube channel, discussing President Donald Trump's increased support among black men. According to a CNN exit poll, Trump received 13% of the black vote in the November elections, including 21% of men and 7% of women. Smith contended that both political parties put more effort into courting Latino voters, as they are not as predictably partisan as black voters.
Smith quoted former President Lyndon B. Johnson's infamous 1964 statement, "[S]ince 1964, when [former President] Lyndon B. Johnson told the world, You know what? When we pass civil rights legislation, okay, guess what? Well have the Negroes voting for us for the next 200 years."
He went on to argue that the majority of African-Americans have indeed voted Democrat for the past six decades, thereby inadvertently disenfranchising themselves.
"We told the Democratic Party, You got our vote no matter what. We told the Republicans, You aint getting our vote no matter what,'" Smith stated, implying that neither party felt compelled to genuinely represent the interests of the black community. He contrasted this with the diverse voting patterns of the Hispanic population, which he argued forces both parties to actively seek their support.
Smith also criticized the liberal stance on crime and immigration. He accused liberals of being soft on crime and criticized Democrats for allowing millions of illegal immigrants into the country. He argued that these policies have a detrimental impact on the black community, stating, "[W]hen youre looking at those certain situations, and these are the kind of things that the liberal movement was promoting, oblivious to the or not caring enough about the ultimate detrimental impact it would have, there were people that rose up and said, Enough of this.'"
Smith suggested that black men voting for Trump in 2024 would be a "huge step." He also expressed satisfaction with Trump's 2024 election victory, accusing the Democratic Party of manipulating black voters. "I think, for the longest time, black Americans have played the role of suckers to the Democratic Party," Smith said.
"Theyve guilted us into voting for them, making us feel as if were going to be ostracized, creating division within our own communities or what have you to get our vote, instead of saying to us, Hey, this is what we will do for you. And it will work better than what theyre offering."
Despite Smith's assertions, CNN exit polls show that Democratic candidates consistently receive overwhelming support from black voters. Former Vice President Kamala Harris received 77% of the black male vote in 2024, compared to 79% for Joe Biden in 2020 and 82% for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
All three Democratic candidates received at least 90% of the black female vote. This data suggests that while there may be some shifts in voting patterns, the Democratic Party still holds a significant sway over the African-American electorate.
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