Former Bernie Sanders staffer Tezlyn Figaro said on Monday that President Joe Biden needs to cut checks to black Americans if he wants to be victorious in Michigan.
Former President Donald Trump is presently leading Biden in Michigan in a five-way race by .3%, according to the RealClearPolling average. Figaro on “The Story With Martha MacCallum” said Biden’s “only” chance of winning the state is distributing money he owes to black voters.
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“Obviously I won’t speak for all black voters, Martha, but I can certainly tell you by being the only black national staffer in Michigan in 2015 working for Bernie Sanders, it does not take a lot of voters to like former President Trump. It really only takes 1 or 2%,” Figaro told host Martha MacCallum. “We were able to flip that state by 2% going to all the places that Hillary Clinton refused to go … What I do know is someone better get to the state of Michigan with a checkbook in hand with no IOUs.”
“This is critical that these swing states are looked at,” she added. “And they don’t have to like President Trump like the poll indicates. They didn’t like Bernie Sanders, to be quite honest with you, but it only takes a small margin to make a difference. And that’s what I’m concerned about and that is what the majority of people who are saying, ‘I don’t like Trump, I don’t like Biden either,’ but they cannot afford to ignore this crucial demographic.”
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said on Monday that Trump is “careening towards a historic performance” with black voters as Biden bleeds a significant segment of them.
“The Joe Biden administration cannot afford to sit on their butt and just ignore and think that it’s just a game and not invest the time, money, resources in black media, not invest the time, money and support in those nonprofits. They need to go in Michigan right now with a check,” Figaro said, before MacCallum interrupted her to ask if it would actually help Biden to make black media appearances.
“Guess what,” Figaro continued. “We’re done with the appearances. Bring the checkbook, the IOUs no longer matter. Only thing I think you can do at this point, better start cutting some checks. Just being honest with you. No more appearances, no more talks. Cutting checks for any and everybody. Nonprofits across the board, making sure people have adequate funding, partnering with city commissioners or state representative to make sure that people have the money that he owed the black community, that he was very clear about owing.”
MSNBC host Ana Cabrera pressed Biden’s 2024 campaign communications director Michael Tyler on Monday regarding polls showing him shedding support of black voters in swing states, including Michigan.
“Over the weekend, the Trump Campaign launched a Black Americans for Trump Coalition. Your campaign mocked it and said it’s not fooling anyone. But look at this. USA Today/Suffolk polls show from Michigan and Pennsylvania specifically, these are two key swing states. They show President Biden has lost roughly 20 points among black voters in both of those states, down from 76% to the mid 50s. Of course, in a close election that can make a huge difference. Why do you think the president is losing support with these voters?” Cabrera asked.
Political commentator Bakari Sellers on Monday dismissed polls indicating Trump’s rising black support, asserting, “Donald Trump is not going to get 20% of the black vote. He’s simply not.”
