A wave of blue spread across the country on Election Day on Nov. 4 after Democrats won every race they were in. Among the winners was Abigail Spanberger, a white woman, who made history as Virginia’s first female governor, beating Black Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears. Not only was this win historic, but one Harvard graduate is saying it proves that just because you are Black does not mean you are guaranteed the Black vote!
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In the polls, Spanberger had a landslide victory by securing 57.4% of the votes, according to NBC News. Her history-making win turned Virginia’s governorship from a Republican majority to a Democratic majority, leaning the state further to the left. A big part of that was thanks to Black voters, as 9 in 10 voters supported Spanberger, ABC News reported.
Speaking in a TikTok after Spanberger’s win, Harvard graduate and political content creator Da’Vion Tatum said Spanberger’s win should be a message that Black people are not a monolith and politics runs deeper than just skin color.
“…There’s often been a narrative that Black people will vote just for anyone who is Black, no matter their policies, no matter what they stand for; Black people just vote for the Black candidate. But these numbers prove otherwise. These numbers reveal that Black people are not monolithic… That we care about people and politicians who demonstrate that they care about the people as well… That they care about us,” he explained.
Adding to his point, Tatum said, “It’s interesting to me because it seems as if in this specific race, the Republican Party was playing identity politics, thinking that because you put a Black face and Black figure to mask all the policies that are pernicious and harmful to the Black community, that Black people would vote in support of that individual, and they did not.”
Tatum’s message was well-received online as users in the comments stressed that not all skin folk are kin folk, and that Black voters are well informed enough to know who doesn’t have their best interest at heart.
“We don’t vote against our own best interest….,” wrote one user.
“Absolutely. We are highly intelligent and have integrity… they (Republicans) know nothing of it because they are too busy being brainwashed to hate us,” added another.
“We Loooove Abigail …All Skin Folk Ain’t Kin Folk,” added another.
“Not surprising. Over 90% of black folks voted “yes” to California Prop 50. We know the issues and vote accordingly,” wrote another.
“Black people always save the day!! We vote quality,” commented another.
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