CHARLESTON, SC – Running a small business has been a unique and rewarding experience for Mimi Striplin, the 31-year-old owner of The Tiny Tassel in Charleston. Nine years ago, she started her jewelry company, and in 2021, she opened her first brick-and-mortar storefront, where she sells whimsical clothing designed by her mother and goods made by other Black women-owned businesses. The local community has been instrumental in uplifting her business, but she has also faced the challenges of entrepreneurship, especially in the current climate.
During a recent small business roundtable meeting with President Joe Biden, Striplin shared a simple message with him: “See us.” As an Asian American business owner, she emphasized the importance of having faces like hers considered when making policies. Biden’s reelection campaign is relying on Black voters like Striplin, who supported him in the previous presidential election and intend to do so again, to rebuild the coalition that propelled him to the White House in 2020.
South Carolina’s primary will be the first opportunity for Black voters to voice their support or displeasure with Biden since the last election. Antjuan Seawright, a South Carolina-based Democratic strategist and close ally of Rep. Jim Clyburn, sees this primary as a chance to gauge Biden’s current standing and to understand which messages from the Biden-Harris administration have resonated.
The Democratic National Committee’s overhaul of the primary calendar last year aimed to give more diverse states like South Carolina an early and important voice. South Carolina’s role as the first sanctioned primary state reflects both its significance in choosing the eventual nominee and the diverse perspectives it represents within the Democratic Party.
Biden and several surrogates have been actively engaging with the state’s voters, seeking to secure their support. Biden’s strong backing among Black voters played a pivotal role in his 2020 victory, and his campaign is working to maintain that support. However, not all Black voters are fully committed to Biden this time around.
Some voters, like Juanita Hamilton, are actively promoting early voting and the upcoming election, highlighting their continued support for Biden. However, others, like Gabriel Fant, have expressed more ambivalence. Fant, a personal trainer and server, deeply regrets her 2020 vote for Biden and is considering not participating in the primary or general election.
These differing perspectives reflect the complex dynamics at play within the Black community, which holds significant weight in the outcome of the primary. As the primary comes to a close, the Democratic Party sees the increased Black voter turnout as a positive sign of enthusiasm for the president and the party’s initiatives.
However, the concerns and criticisms voiced by voters like Fant suggest that efforts to secure the Black vote are ongoing and may require more targeted policies and tangible results to win over skeptical voters. As South Carolina Democrats play a key role in shaping the early narrative of the primary season, their engagement and feedback will be vital in shaping the future direction of the party and its leadership.