Fresh off of a Win with Black Men call that raised over $1.3M for VP Kamala Harris, Bakari Sellers said her campaign is “one of the most successful Democratic campaigns we’ve seen in a long time.”
Bakari Sellers, who served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from from 2006 to 2014, told CNN’s Jim Acosta that we’re seeing the influx of energy immediately galvanized for the VP:
.@Bakari_Sellers, “We’re here it’s history versus yesterday, and that’s what this race is now about.” pic.twitter.com/M9yhD36fCv
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) July 23, 2024
Sellers: “What you’re seeing is the influx of energy. I think that the campaign that Kamala Harris has run over the past 24 to 48 hours has been one of the most successful Democratic campaigns we’ve seen in a long time.
From the money raised to the energy to the poll trajectory to the grassroots efforts. Just last night, I know Van joined the call as well, but we had over 53,000 black men attempting to answer that question somewhat before it was asked about whether or not black men were gonna rally behind Kamala Harris. Raised over $1.3 million and that number is still going up.
The night before that you had tens of thousands of black women. They raised over $1 million as well. And what you’re seeing is an energy that I believe, that people like Van Jones and David Axelrod were saying that we needed in order to beat Donald Trump. You know, a lot of people were, were coming on air saying that we needed that energy and I believe that Kamala Harris has proved them to be right.
There were a lot of fears about skipping over Kamala Harris because of the fact she was Vice President, et cetera, but she’s risen to that moment and showed that she could earn that nomination. And so we’re here, it’s history, versus yesterday, and that’s what this race is about.”
The Monday evening Win with Black Men call was inspired by the Sunday evening Win with Black Women call that raised approximately $1.6 million in grassroots contributions.
Tips shared on the Win with Black Men call included suggestions like:
1. Do not share or respond to negative tweets about Kamala, it only amplifies negativity.
2. Only share voting/election information from trusted news/local-state government sources
3. Be wary of misinformation
4. Be wary of misinformation
2. Only share voting/election information from trusted news/local-state government sources
3. Be wary of misinformation
4. Be wary of misinformation
As we discussed earlier Tuesday morning, the misinformation and flat out lies about Kamala Harris began flooding social media immediately after Biden stood down from accepting his party’s nomination.
It’s important that we all are aware of the way she will be treated by the opposition and the media itself, and counter those prejudices with the power of personal conversations. As we’ve said, you are an influencer in your own life. Your word had tremendous power with people who trust you. We can all come to this election prepared for the coded misogyny and racism that will dominate the headlines and outright prejudices that will flood social media.
We can acknowledge that everyone has the right to choose which candidate they want to support, while also acknowledging that doing so based on lies and prejudice is damaging to our country.
The success of the Win with Black Women and Men calls inspired similar calls being organized for white women and calls for Latinos and Latinas to jump on board.
Although the process by which President Joe Biden was pushed aside by wealthy donors and backstabbing in his own party has left a permanent stain on the Democratic Party, voters are using their power to stand up to the special interests by holding these motivating Zoom calls for the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris. When voters get together like this, they tip the scales of power toward the people.
So far, Harris has come out of the gate to wild enthusiasm and historic fundraising.
