On a recent Friday night the buzz of clippers blended with the smell of cheesesteaks at Philly Cuts, a barbershop in West Philadelphia. Political strategist Khalil Thompson, founder of Win With Black Men, used the shop’s familiar setting as a “country club” for a candid discussion with dozens of Black men about their political past and future.
Why the conversation matters
Although Black voters overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates, even modest shifts can decide tight elections. Thompson, who once worked on Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, said the goal was to understand why many Black men did not enthusiastically back former Vice President Kamala Harris after she lost the 2024 presidential race to President Trump.
“We know the shop is like our own country club that we come to, so we really just want to start having a conversation about what’s important to us in our community,” Thompson told participants who were getting haircuts, sitting in chairs, or standing wherever space allowed.
Local voices, national stakes
Philadelphia is a Democratic stronghold, but its Black residents—about 40 % of the city’s population—are a crucial voting bloc in presidential elections. If Democrats cannot maintain or grow their support in the city, winning Pennsylvania becomes far more difficult.
Participants ranged from a civil engineer and a real‑estate agent to a 77‑year‑old former state representative. The dialogue touched on everything from the legacy of Bill Clinton’s criminal‑justice policies to the role of rap music in shaping perceptions of President Trump.
One engineer, Stanley Thigpen, argued that Trump has long been a prominent figure in Black culture, prompting a heated back‑and‑forth with Al Glay, who cited Trump’s comments about the “Exonerated Five” and called the former president “blatantly racist.” The exchange illustrated the deep‑seated skepticism many Black men feel toward government, a sentiment echoed by barbershop patron Maurice Anderson.
Policy priorities emerge
Despite differing opinions on candidates, the men agreed on a common desire for greater government investment in their neighborhoods. They discussed the need for role models, better educational opportunities, higher wages, and solutions to food deserts. State Senator Vincent Hughes, a Democrat, emphasized turning anger into civic action.
Pollster Terrance Woodbury of HIT Strategies highlighted that Black men are not a monolith. Recent AP VoteCast data show about one‑quarter of Black men supported President Trump in 2024, up from 12 % in 2020. Unemployment for Black men ages 20 and older stands at 6.2 %, nearly double the rate for white men, and median family wealth remains far below that of white families.
Looking ahead to 2028
Strategists see Black men as a pivotal voting group in the 2028 presidential cycle, especially in early primary states like South Carolina. Woodbury noted that several potential Democratic candidates are already consulting his firm on outreach strategies.
Thompson concluded that Black men are more likely to support candidates who offer an inspirational message rather than a pessimistic one. He hopes the conversation at Philly Cuts will translate into increased civic engagement and a clearer understanding of how policies affect Black families across the nation.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
