Rep. Jasmine Crockett Analyzes Kamala Harris' 2024 Struggles with Black Male Voters: Prosecutorial Record and Misogyny Cited

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) discussed on 'The Chuck ToddCast' why Kamala Harris struggled with Black male voters in the 2024 election. Crockett cited Harris' prosecutorial background, which alienated marginalized communities, and misogyny as key factors. She noted internal Democratic polling showed concerns about Harris' past roles as district attorney and attorney general. Crockett also criticized campaign strategies that emphasized Harris' prosecutorial record. Despite efforts to highlight her reformist work, Harris received 77% of the Black male vote, a decline from previous Democratic candidates.

Harris’ Prosecutorial Past: A Sticking Point for Black Voters

During her appearance on the podcast hosted by former NBC News anchor Chuck Todd, Crockett reflected on internal Democratic polling and campaign strategy sessions that revealed a consistent concern among Black and Brown communities: Harris’ history as a prosecutor. Before ascending to the vice presidency, Harris served as San Francisco’s district attorney and later as California’s attorney general—roles that placed her at the center of a criminal justice system often criticized for disproportionately targeting communities of color.

“The very first polling briefing that we had, with a pollster that I trust a lot — he briefed the Black caucus, and he said that one of the issues that he was running into with Black and Brown communities was that she had been a prosecutor,” Crockett said. “There was definitely some resume stuff that disallowed her from being able to build the type of rapport of trust within these marginalized communities that historically have been targeted.”

Crockett noted that Harris’ prosecutorial identity was “baked in” to public perception, making it difficult to reframe her image during the compressed 107-day campaign. “When you're talking about 107 days of a campaign, it's kind of hard to get that across,” she added.

Misogyny and Voter Hesitancy

Beyond Harris’ resume, Crockett also pointed to a broader issue of misogyny that she believes played a role in the election outcome. “I definitely think that there was misogyny in this across the board no matter what color male you're talking about,” she said. “I just think that you'd be in error to not know that there was misogyny that existed.”

When Todd asked whether Black male voters were hesitant to vote for a woman, Crockett didn’t shy away from the implication. She acknowledged that gender bias was a factor, echoing concerns raised by other Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, who in the final weeks of the campaign urged Black men to support Harris and suggested that some of their reluctance stemmed from discomfort with the idea of a woman president.

Crockett’s remarks align with exit polling data from CNN, which showed Harris receiving 77% of the Black male vote in 2024—down from 82% for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and 79% for Joe Biden in 2020. While still a strong majority, the dip was notable in a race where every percentage point mattered.

Campaign Strategy Missteps

Crockett also revealed that she had been advised to emphasize Harris’ prosecutorial background as a strength, a strategy she questioned from the outset. “I was given guidance to lean into Harris' background as a prosecutor, which I believed was not going to be helpful,” she said.

As a criminal defense attorney herself, Crockett said she tried to reframe Harris’ record in a more favorable light. “When I did it, I did a bit of a swing on it, right, as a criminal defense attorney, and I explained like this is the kind of prosecutor we all would have wanted,” she said. She also highlighted Harris’ work on second-chance programs and criminal justice reform, but acknowledged that these efforts were often overshadowed by her earlier record.

Crockett recounted a conversation with a prominent rapper who expressed discomfort with endorsing Harris due to her prosecutorial past. This anecdote, she suggested, was emblematic of a broader sentiment among Black male influencers and voters.

Broader Party Reflections

Crockett’s analysis comes amid broader Democratic soul-searching following Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The congresswoman has been outspoken about the party’s internal dynamics and future direction. In a separate comment, she remarked that Democratic donors were already coalescing around a 2028 candidate who was “not a Black person, nor a woman,” suggesting a retreat to perceived electoral safety.

“It is this fear that the people within the party, within the primary system, will have about voting for a woman because every time we voted for a woman, we’ve lost, so far,” Crockett said in a recent Instagram clip. “And I think that that’s a natural fear because we just want to win.”

Her comments reflect a growing tension within the Democratic Party between its stated commitment to diversity and inclusion and the electoral calculations that often favor more traditional candidates.

A Complex Legacy

Harris’ tenure as a prosecutor has long been a double-edged sword. While it bolstered her credentials as a law-and-order candidate, it also drew criticism from progressives and civil rights advocates. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she faced scrutiny over her record on marijuana prosecutions and truancy laws, issues that resurfaced in 2024.

Crockett’s remarks underscore the difficulty of reconciling Harris’ past with the expectations of a Democratic base increasingly focused on criminal justice reform and racial equity. Despite efforts to highlight her reformist credentials, Harris struggled to overcome skepticism among key voter blocs.

As the Democratic Party looks ahead to 2028, Crockett’s candid assessment offers a window into the challenges of candidate positioning, voter trust, and the enduring impact of identity in American politics.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett Analyzes Kamala Harris' 2024 Struggles with Black Male Voters: Prosecutorial Record and Misogyny Cited

Key Updates