Politics

Obama losing favor with African-American voters

Melissa Quinn Contributor
Font Size:

A new poll reveals that President Barack Obama is losing favor with African-American voters in North Carolina.

76 percent of black voters favor him now, compared to the 87 percent who did in May. Twenty percent of black voters side with presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

According to the poll, released by Public Policy Polling, Obama’s approval rating with African-Americans has been sliding, and some believe the decrease stems from the president’s recent backing of same-sex marriage, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The president’s national approval rating among African-American voters has been decreasing, dropping from 86 percent to 77 percent.

Obama won North Carolina in 2008 with overwhelming support from black voters, and pollsters believe that the African-American vote could make a crucial difference in the 2012 election, the San Gabriel Tribune reported.

With unemployment among blacks at 14 percent — nearly double that of whites — many black voters are becoming frustrated with the president’s leadership. His decision to support same-sex marriage is also controversial within the religious black community.

“I cannot support him,” said Emmett Burns, an African-American state legislator representing Baltimore County in Maryland. “He has taken the black vote and people for granted.”

According to the poll, Romney would take North Carolina if elections were held today, winning 48 percent of voters compared to President Obama’s 46 percent. Among white voters, 36 percent said they would vote for Obama compared to the 58 percent who would cast their vote for Romney.

Follow Melissa on Twitter