Republicans Aim to Build on Momentum with Black Voters

In Dallas, while President Donald Trump will not appear on the 2026 midterm election ballot, T.W. Shannon, a former chair of Black Voices for Trump, believes Republicans can sustain the momentum gained from his improved performance among Black voters in the 2024 presidential race. Shannon, a former Oklahoma state House Speaker and the Republican lieutenant governor nominee for Oklahoma, credits GOP policies and a perceived leftward shift in the Democratic Party for this potential success.

In the 2024 presidential election, Trump secured 16% of the Black vote, significantly increasing from four years earlier, according to a Fox News Voter Analysis. Shannon asserts this increase is due to Trump’s transformation of the Republican Party into a more working-class focused party.

During the first GOP midterm convention, Shannon highlighted job creation and reduced crime rates during the Trump administration as tangible benefits for Black voters and communities. He criticized Democratic candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), pointing out policies they propose, such as tax increases and police disbandment, which he claims are not popular within Black communities.

“It’s because Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party back into the working party. You see Democrats competing for the Black vote now,” Shannon said in a Fox News Digital interview.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) disputes Shannon’s views, arguing that Black Americans will reject Trump’s policies, which they see as favoring billionaires and increasing costs. According to a DNC spokesperson, Democrats focus on lowering costs and delivering for working families, investing resources to connect with and mobilize Black voters nationwide. They emphasize their commitment to protecting civil and voting rights, contrasting this with their portrayal of the Trump administration’s actions.

Shannon, who has notable achievements such as being the first African American House Speaker in Oklahoma and the first Chickasaw Nation member to hold the position, is a favored candidate for the lieutenant governor race in Republican-dominated Oklahoma. He described the opportunity to speak at the midterm convention as a way to highlight the strengths of both Oklahoma and America on a national platform.