Democrats focus on mobilizing black voters to turn Ohio into blue

Before Trump's victory in 2016, Obama had won the state with 97% of the black votes in 2008 and 96% in 2012, according to polls. Hillary Clinton lost the state with 88% of the black vote. A major question for Democrats is whether they can count on the support of black voters who have historically participated in the vote of the country's first black president.

Ohio Democrats are learning from last year's Alabama Senate race, in which former Democratic Attorney Doug Jones upset Republican Roy Moore with the support of black voters.

"The special election of Doug Jones has taught us that members of the local community are the best validators," said Democratic Party leader Ron McGuire, who organized roundtables throughout Ohio. in January.

Former District Assistant Director for US Representative Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said voters were excluded from the process.

"They were not receiving information from the State Party as they wished," he said. "They did not think they belonged to it, no one knew what they were supposed to do or how they could help."

Meredith Turner, a Democratic consultant from Ohio charged with raising churches' awareness of parties, said in the past that Democrats had not hired partners who reflected the community they represented. "There was a detachment," Turner told CNN. "If you can not connect with people, it can be difficult to motivate them and encourage them to participate."

In response, the party created the Minority Engagement Program, led by McGuire and local community consultants, to inform voters about upcoming elections and to facilitate voter registration to get them to the polls.

"I have religious leaders, business owners, a lawyer, former elected officials, and community leaders to help us lead these efforts in our major communities in Ohio." , McGuire told CNN.

Kim Thomas, owner of the Christopher Amira studio in Cleveland, joined the program in June, creating other local hair salons and salons in Cuyahoga County to store campaign brochures and meet with candidates.

"The only way to change all of this is to get everybody involved," Thomas said. "It's the most important thing I can say we work on, we make sure we work collectively and we bring everyone together to create this blue wave." The blue wave will not happen if we do not we do not meet. "

The Ohio Republicans plan to play for Democratic voters and Ohio voters.

"I think the Democrats continue to take for granted some historically blue communities," Ohio Republic's director of Republican Communications Blaine Kelly told CNN. "These voters have found a new home in the Republican Party."

Ohio GOP President Jane Timken told reporters on Thursday: "When I became president, I launched an initiative in urban areas like Cincinnati and Cleveland and I've had meetings there. Listening with interested African-American entrepreneurs message. And I conveyed to them the following message: you care about your communities, your families, we welcome you to the Republican Party and wish to be part of that care and concern for your communities and your families in Ohio. "

Democratic State representative Stephanie Howse, who spoke to Obama at Thursday's rally, hopes the former president's visit will inspire voters to campaign for Democratic candidates.

"Democrats do not succeed without strong participation from the black community, they are facts," Howse told CNN. "We have no vote to lose, we have had elections, we have new entrants who win by eight votes, 13 votes, so you have to remember that every election is important, every election is important and the specific voice of blacks. "