EXCLUSIVE: Charles Booker On Whether Dems Have Earned the Black Vote

Are Democrats doing enough to earn the Black vote? In a revealing conversation that cuts to the heart of the party’s current identity crisis, Charles Booker unpacks why working-class Black voters are growing increasingly exhausted with partisan politics. Check out his full interview and others on The Root‘s YouTube channel.

As you well know, Booker is seeking to win out over Mitch McConnell for the Senate seat, a position that could significantly change the political landscape in Kentucky moving forward. But ahead of the midterm elections that will decide his fate, he sat down with us to discuss whether or not his party has done all it should to earn the trust, support, and votes of Black America.

Highlighting the frustration of lifelong Democrats as a key reason for his candidacy, Booker argued that both parties have upheld a status quo that leaves everyday Americans behind.

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“We are all pissed off. There has been a status quo that is—including Democrats and Republicans—that has blocked regular people out,” he said. “And, I do believe that more needs to be done to listen to the voices of marginalized communities, to listen to the voices of working people. But I think that requires us to lift up leaders who live the struggle, who see the challenges because they know them.”

Booker went on to say that he hopes by him running, it inspires others to get more engaged, and involved in the democratic process, and find their voice whether as citizen lobbyists or while running for an office themselves. He also shared that while the party could stand to do more, the time is ripe for change.

“The party has much more to do. But the opportunity is here. And my candidacy and a lot of other races across the country, should we invest, we can win. And when we win, we can advance an agenda for working people,” Booker concluded.

Check out his full interview on The Root‘s YouTube channel.