Republicans can build on the momentum of increased support among Black voters in the 2024 presidential election, even without former President Donald Trump on the ballot in 2026, according to T.W. Shannon, former chairman of Black Voices for Trump.
Shannon, who served in the second Trump administration and is now the Republican lieutenant governor nominee in Oklahoma, attributes the potential for sustained gains to the policies the Republican Party advocates and a perceived leftward shift by the Democratic Party. Trump secured 16% of the Black vote in the 2024 presidential election, nearly double his support from four years prior, according to a Fox News Voter Analysis.
"It's because Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party back into the working party," Shannon said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "You see Democrats competing for the Black vote now. Something that you used to not see at all. They didn't have to, they just took it for granted."
He pointed to job creation and reductions in crime rates during the second Trump administration as policies that benefit Black voters and their communities. Shannon also criticized proposals from candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), citing concerns about tax increases, the potential elimination of the Senate, and police disbandment, which he suggested are not popular within the Black community.
However, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) disputes this assessment. A DNC spokesperson stated that Black Americans will reject Trump's agenda and elect Democrats focused on lowering costs for working families. The DNC is investing resources to engage, register, and mobilize Black voters, while accusing the Trump administration of attacking civil and voting rights.
Shannon, a former Oklahoma state House Speaker and the first member of the Chickasaw Nation to hold the office, spoke at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas. He expressed enthusiasm for sharing his perspective on the national stage and highlighting positive aspects of Oklahoma and America.