Atlanta Black men’s group discuss what they want from both presidential candidates

A regular weekly meeting in southwest Atlanta took a turn and focused on the race for the White House and what they want to see from the candidates now.

Every Monday, around 100 Black men gather at a local YMCA to discuss topics. This week, it was about Vice President Kamala Harris and how the presidential race may swing with their vote.

As the political world reels from President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for reelection, Black men in Atlanta are discussing the change and the stakes.

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The focus is on who will actually address the needs of Black voters, especially Black men like Nate Beamon.

“That they put forth an agenda for us and give us a reason to vote for them, either one. Either candidate,” Beamon told Channel 2′s Michael Doudna .

There are nearly one million Black men eligible to vote in Georgia in an election where the difference will likely be just a few thousand people.

“If the Black vote breaks and 15% of Georgia’s Black vote were to go to the Republican party, that would have a devastating impact up and down the ticket for the Democratic party,” Channel 2′s political analyst Bill Crane said.

Already, both Republicans and Democrats have recognized the importance of the Black vote, from speeches to political ads.

For the men in attendance at the meeting Monday night, it wasn’t about ads or speeches, but about action, who will actually have a record of addressing their concerns, and who will make sure their voices are heard before they head to the ballot box.

“It’s really simple. Either they address the concerns of Black people or we vote for the couch,” one attendee said.

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