RNC 2020: More Black voters will back Trump as Biden's all talk and no action, says Dem lawmaker Vernon Jones
A week after some high-profile Republican leaders addressed the Democratic National Convention where Joe Biden was formally nominated as the presidential candidate, Vernon Jones appeared at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte to say a growing number of Black voters were ready to support the incumbent.
The 59-year-old representative of color from Georgia, who has endorsed Trump for presidency, said the Dems should not take for granted that the Black voters will back Biden just because of the party’s name. He also spoke about the incumbent, who is often considered a favorite of the White nationalists, adding to his eight percent that he got from the Black community in 2016.
Hillary's advantage among Black people diminished
According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton could not do as good among the Black voters in the 2016 presidential election, compared to former president Barack Obama’s performance in 2012. While Obama had a 87-point lead over Mitt Romney among Black voters (93%-6%), Clinton had a 80-point advantage (88%-8%) over Trump. In 2008, Obama had an even bigger lead of 91 points among the Black people.
“The Democratic Party does not want Black people to leave their mental plantation. We’ve been forced to be there for decades and generations. I have news for Joe Biden, we are free, we are free people with free minds, and I’m part of a large and growing segment of the Black community who are independent thinkers. And we believe that Donald Trump is the president that America needs to lead us forward,” Jones, who endorsed Trump in April, said in his speech.
“This is no time for sleeping in the basement. Joe Biden has had 47 years to produce results. But he’s been all talk and no action,” Jones said, criticizing the former vice president, who courted controversy a few months ago by telling a popular TV show anchor that those Black voters who voted for Trump were not Black enough. Jones was among one who reacted vehemently to Biden’s words.
I woke up to news this morning that apparently, “I ain’t black”@JoeBiden - who are you, to tell 1+ million black Americans who voted for @realDonaldTrump, that we aren’t black?
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) May 22, 2020
“Just like so many of the Democrats who have been making promises to the Black voters for decades. We’ve been their captive audience,” Vernon, who quickly changed his decision and refused to resign despite facing backlash for supporting Trump, said.
Yesterday, I announced my intentions to resign from my office. But shortly thereafter, the outpour of support I received was too great for me to ignore.
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 23, 2020
I will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission. I will not let them win.
I will NOT resign. #MAGA pic.twitter.com/gR2MsU5Rb3
Jones also lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over their wearing Kente cloth given to them by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. He called it “pandering” to keep the Black sentiments “satisfied”.
Jones also spoke on the issue of Black protests against police brutality that escalated following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May but spoke against the idea of defunding police departments saying it was not doing the country any good.
“Police officers are our fellow citizens. They live in our country. They have families too. They live in our communities, unfortunately, Democrats have turned their backs on our brave police officers,” he said.
Trump also made a surprise visit to the convention on the first day.