In a recent episode of CNN's State of The Union, Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas made a statement that has been interpreted by some as implying that Black voters lack the intellectual capacity to fully comprehend political issues.
This remark has sparked controversy, as it was made in response to a recent poll that indicated a surge in support for former President Donald Trump among Black voters, a demographic traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party.
The poll suggested that if an election were to be held today, Trump would triumph over President Joe Biden, securing over 300 electoral votes. The data revealed a notable shift in support from Black voters towards Trump, with his approval rating standing at 22 percent, a figure unprecedented in modern presidential politics for a Republican candidate.
Rather than contemplating the reasons behind this shift or considering strategies the Democratic Party could employ to regain trust, Rep. Crockett's response seemed to undermine the intelligence of Black voters. She stated:
"Heres the deal. Perception is reality. And so when you look at the data that was provided in this poll, it talks about how people feel and when people decide whether theyre going to the poll or whether theyre not going to the poll, its all about how you feel in that moment. And so while the facts may not align with their feelings, their feelings are dictating their reality. Their reality is that they said that they feel better or they felt better when Trump was in office. But weve been trying to push back. Weve got some very popular African-American artists that are out here saying things like, 'Oh, I got checks when Trump was in office. I want those checks again,' not understanding that really came from Congress. So weve got a couple of things the perception issue, and then we also have an issue as it relates to civics in this country and people not understanding exactly how any of this works."
Crockett's comments suggest that Black voters may be making decisions based on misconceptions or a lack of understanding of the political process.
Several prominent figures and political commentators have responded to Crockett's statement. American commentator and television host Tomi Lahren remarked, "Is she saying that black voters are too dumb to understand whats going on? Wow! This is bad." Twitter user Brandon Saario echoed this sentiment, stating, "Crockett is saying people are not smart enough to know how good things are."
Another user pointed out the economic factors influencing Black voters, writing, "Its the economy Crockett thats affecting black voters not feelings. High food prices, gas, rent, interest rates, a lot of people homeless, families cant go out, restaurant prices have doubled."
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