On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump implied that Black or Hispanic voters who choose not to back him might need to have their mental state evaluated.
“Any African American or Hispanic — and you know how well I’m doing there — that votes for Kamala, you gotta have your head examined. Because they are really screwing you. They are really screwing you,” Trump said during a rally in Atlanta.
According to multiple news outlets his recent remarks aimed at Black and Hispanic voters occur amid polling data showing that he is gaining support from both demographics in what is expected to be a closely fought election.
At his rally, Trump criticized Vice President Harris, claiming she was responsible for escalating prices and the increasing number of migrants crossing the southern border in recent years.
A poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, released on Saturday, revealed that 78 percent of Black voters indicated they would support Harris in the upcoming election, while only 15 percent expressed their intention to back Trump.
This 63-point disparity in support represents a decline from the 2020 election, when President Biden received 90 percent of the Black vote, in contrast to the 9 percent that went to Trump.
On the same day, a poll by The Times and Siena College revealed that 56 percent of Hispanic voters planned to support Harris, while 37 percent indicated they would back Trump.
Exit polls from the 2020 election demonstrated that President Biden secured 65 percent of the Latino vote, whereas Trump garnered 32 percent.
In a statement addressing Trump’s comments, the Harris campaign asserted that the vice president is dedicated to winning every vote and challenged Trump to do the same, suggesting he should demonstrate the stamina to keep pace.
“If Donald Trump thinks insulting Black and Latino voters is the key to earning their respect and their votes, it’s him who should have his head examined – and he should man up and release his medical records so that voters can understand what exactly is going on with comments like this,” campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said.