February 8th 2024.
In a historic moment, Black women have taken the reins of the Democratic Party in three primary states. With the Democratic presidential primaries underway in South Carolina on Feb. 3, the spotlight is now on President Biden's campaign and his standing among Black voters. Along with strong endorsements from Congressman Jim Clyburn and Vice President Kamala Harris, three Black women are stepping into the limelight, hoping to showcase the party's diversity. Christale Spain, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, is one of these inspiring women.
As the first Black woman to serve as Democratic Party chair, Spain is determined to prove to skeptical voters that Biden is the right man for the job - again. She believes that the negative perceptions of Biden, especially among Black men, stem from a lack of knowledge about his accomplishments. "I see the negative perceptions about him online, but I don't feel it here in the state, especially when we're going around talking to Black voters about this administration's accomplishments," she told Politico. She is confident that there is no scenario where Black voters would not support Biden.
Spain was elected in April 2023 and is one of many Democrats who have carried the party on their backs. But she also acknowledges the long-standing support of Black women in the Democratic party. "Even before I got involved in the party, Black women have really been showing up for Democratic candidates," she said. "We show up and volunteer. We show up and vote, really, as a big voting bloc."
Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the current chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party, also understands the importance of unity within the party. She took over the position in March 2023 after a heated battle against former chair Judith Whitmer. As the first Black woman to hold this position in a predominantly red state, Monroe-Moreno knew that 2024 was the year to take back control. "2024 is far too important. The division in our party had to come to an end," she said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I ran so we could bring the family, the Democratic family, back together. Just like any other family, we're not always going to agree on everything all the time."
As a proud mother and grandmother, Monroe-Moreno is committed to restoring the broken pieces of the Democratic Party. She wants Nevada voters to have faith in Biden, just like they did in 2020 when he won the state by 2.7 percentage points. "It's about unifying this party to get behind the people that we have currently in office to make sure we get them reelected," she said. "And it's also about seeking and mentoring and training young Democrats to come and take those seats behind us. I'm the first; I don't want to be the last."
In Michigan, Lavora Barnes has been reelected as the state's Democratic Party chair for a third two-year term in February 2023. Michigan, as the fifth state to hold the presidential primary in 2024, has been under her leadership during a successful time for the party. They were able to flip the state House and Senate in 2022 and secure Governor Gretchen Whitmer's re-election for another four years.
With experience working on multiple political campaigns, including serving as the state director for Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, Barnes understands the importance of knowing her audience. "I recognize the importance of having conversations year-round so that your first conversation with a voter isn't asking for a vote," she told 19th News. "That was our goal, to build an organization, what we call Project 83 - named after Michigan's 83 counties - that lets folks have an ongoing relationship with their party."
These Black women are leading the way in early primary states, bringing diversity and unity to the Democratic Party. Their hard work and determination are paving the way for a brighter future for the party and the country as a whole.
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