RFK Jr steps up Black voter outreach as Biden approval sinks with key demo: 'Serious problem'

RFK Jr. running for White House as independent in 2024

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is taking advantage of the opportunity to connect with Black voters ahead of the 2024 election, according to a new report.

Politico reported in an article published Thursday that Kennedy has drawn enthusiasm across the country at events with black voters, making him "a serious problem for Joe Biden's re-election campaign."

The candidate — who has made efforts to appear on Joe Rogan's podcast and other popular media platforms to connect directly with voters — received well-deserved receptions at his events in Atlanta.

Zahira Wilson, a voter and former Biden supporter, told Politico that she was thinking about supporting Kennedy this time.

"The deal will probably be sealed today," Wilson said.

As November approaches, support from black voters could be a decisive factor for Biden, especially since the president's popularity among black voters and other key groups has declined.

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released Jan. 1 showed Biden's support among black voters has fallen to just 63%, down from 92% in the 2020 presidential election, Pew Research Center data shows. While he won, his support among Hispanics has declined. Voter turnout has dropped from 59% to 34%.

Additionally, Biden trails former President Trump, his likely Republican opponent, 37%-33% among voters under the age of 35.

Meanwhile, Kennedy directly addressed the issue of race at events across Georgia and told voters that increasing economic opportunity in black communities was the best way to overcome racism.

"That's how we deal with racism, not by pretending we're going to eliminate it," Kennedy said to cheers from the audience.

One voter, Shalanda Batten, told POLITICO she was deciding between Kennedy and former President Trump, a potential warning sign for the Republican front-runner. However, Politico reported that the majority of people interviewed at Kennedy events last weekend said they had voted for Trump in 2020.

Baynton said she was "impressed" with the way Kennedy approached the podcast, particularly on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine mandates.

Former Republican congressional candidate Angela Stanton-King referenced the Kennedy family's support for the black community.

"I believe Mr. Kennedy has always been an advocate for the black community," Stanton-King said, "just because of the history between his family and the King family and how historic the Kennedys are to our fight for civil rights."

Kennedy said he often hears from people who learned about him through the podcast.

"It could be the podcast that we're doing, which seems to be very, very popular with people because they mention it to me all the time," Kennedy said. "I've done a lot, I think more urban podcasts than any other person, running from Charlamagne the [God] and many others."