Biden, Harris return to Philadelphia to launch Black voter outreach effort amid tight polls

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris launched a nationwide effort to mobilize Black voters Wednesday during a campaign stop in Philadelphia.

The effort, called Black Voters for Biden-Harris, comes as recent polling shows support for the president among Black adults is down by double digits as compared to four years ago.

"I came today to speak the truth -- truth about promises made and promises kept," Biden told the crowd at Girard College, an independent boarding school in the city with a predominately Black student body.

The president campaigned alongside Harris, the first woman and first Black American to hold the office of vice president. She touted how the administration has prioritized health care, attacked student loan debt, and passed a gun safety law.

"In 2020, Black voters in Philadelphia and across our nation helped President Biden and me win the White House," she said.

The pair spoke to a crowd of Black students, business owners, advocacy groups, and politicians.

"In Philadelphia alone, we are 40% of the population, so our vote really matters when it comes to making change," said Tariem Burroughs of the Liberty City Democratic Club.

A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll found Biden's support among Black voters is down by double digits from his share of the vote in 2020, with 74% saying they currently back the president compared to 87% who said they voted for him is the last election.

Experts say a high turnout from Black voters is essential to the Biden-Harris campaign.

"There is a huge Black population in Philadelphia that is looking for some relief from things like the inflation issue and those sorts of things," said Glenn Bracey, the assistant professor of sociology at Villanova University.

Ahead of Biden's visit, the chair of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania wrote in part, "If he wasn't so hopelessly out of touch, Biden would recognize the toll his inflation is taking on Pennsylvania consumers, who can't afford the same basic necessities they could before he became President."

Biden said he believes Black voters will help him beat Trump again.

"With your vote in 2024, we're going to make sure Donald Trump will be a loser again," he said.