JD Vance sends message to Black voters as they weigh Trump, Harris: 'We're going to fight for you'
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, sent a message to Black voters ahead of November, vowing to fight for those who struggle with the "failure" of Democratic leadership in the community.
Vance joined "FOX & Friends" to discuss why the Trump campaign is better suited to uplift the community, accusing the Democratic Party of failing Black voters for a "generation."
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"What they're saying is that Democratic policies have failed the Black community for a generation," Vance said Wednesday. "You know my story, Lawrence. I grew up with a grandmother who sometimes struggled to find enough to eat. I know that a lot of families, Black and White, are in that exact same situation, but grocery prices are up 20% thanks to the policies of [Vice President] Kamala Harris."
"She stands there and says on day one she's going to make groceries more affordable. Well, day one, Kamala, was 1,300 days ago, and you haven't done anything," he continued. "And I think it's so inspiring that you have those men in that barbershop who are standing up and saying, look, whatever the media propaganda has been fed to us, we have not had better lives under the policies of Democrat leadership. So we're willing to give the Republicans a chance."
"Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones spoke with Black voters in a Chicago barbershop to gauge how the community feels about Kamala Harris' candidacy.
He discovered many voters are torn about voting for Harris or former President Trump.
"It's up in the air," one voter told Jones. "Some people like Kamala because she represents change and she's different. Some people like Trump because they feel like he's more business-minded, so it's just up in the air."
Another voter urged his fellow constituents to stop being "blindly faithful" to the Democratic Party.
"It's really enlightening to hear individuals start to change their political direction," he said. "I think it's time that Blacks, in general, need to boost our political IQ. Stop being blindly faithful."
"Growing up… you choose to be like, a Democrat… but they really don't know the history of it," another person said. "It's time… to start thinking… outside the box."
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Voters noted that inflation, the cost of living and illegal immigration are high on their priority list as they prepare to cast their ballot.
"Blacks are struggling more than any other demographic. We got the highest prison rate, highest high school dropout rate, highest murder rate. What's in it for us?" one voter said.
One resident explained the Republican Party needs to learn how to better communicate with Black voters, who he argued are actually very conservative on the issues despite typically voting for Democrats.
"Most Blacks are conservative," another voter said. "If the Republican Party can just learn how to communicate, and the reason why they can't communicate... They don't get us. But a lot of people are waking up right now, as you can see, speaking to the brothers and sisters in the shop and… how many barbershops, beauty salons there are throughout the country?"
"This same conversation is happening pretty much in every barbershop," Jones said.
"Everywhere, man, and it's changing," he responded.
Vance addressed the historical communication struggle between the GOP and Black voters, vowing to fight for those in the community this November and beyond.
"I think we just have to go into these communities, make the argument and say, 'We're going to fight for you. We're going to fight for your wages. We're going to fight for your jobs, and we're going to fight for affordable housing and for affordable groceries for you and your children,'" Vance said.