Trump steps up pitch to black voters

President Trump is increasingly highlighting his pitch to African American voters as the 2020 presidential election campaign heats up, trying to sway a key portion of the electorate in his favor despite a history of divisive rhetoric on race.

Trump’s effort was on prime-time display last week, with his campaign’s unveiling of a new Super Bowl advertisement on criminal justice reform followed by a State of the Union address and speech in Charlotte, N.C., peppered with appeals to black voters.

Trump isn’t going to win more of the black vote than his Democratic opponent, but Republican strategists say a targeting strategy that peels away even a few percentage points could have a meaningful impact for the president’s reelection. Continue reading.