Op-ed drafted for Dorian Warren in anticipation of June 2020 Democratic presidential debate regarding the level of influence communities of color will have in the 2020 election.

1. Communities of color will be the deciders in 2020
We are living in a populist moment.
Working families across the country are angry and scared, feeling increasingly unsure about the
future. They want answers and accountability from our elected officials and are attending
Democratic candidate forums, town halls, and meet-and-greets in record numbers, wanting to
hear the candidates talk about how they will fix our nation’s problems.
As these voters watch this week’s first two-night Democratic debate, they’ll be looking to see
which candidates step forward, presenting themselves as authentic, smart and unifying to an
increasingly diverse, but divided country.
Voters are looking for an authentic brand of populism that addresses their concerns about
health care, the growing wealth gap, and exploding child care costs, which are keeping them
awake at night.
A number of the Democratic candidates seem focused on engaging the voters who were
Obama supporters before switching to Trump, thinking it’s their best path to victory. But they
should reconsider, and not risk taking communities of color for granted.
A couple of them have already made ​missteps​ in Florida, not seeming to realize the state has
one of the most diverse voter rolls in the nation.
They came out in force in 2018, voting to pass an amendment that allows the formerly
incarcerated to vote and flipping state seats, while also coming within a whisper of electing a
Democratic governor for the first time in nearly three decades.
The state will be ground-zero once again in 2020. Donald Trump launched his re-election in
Florida last week, and his team is already on the ground, ​working​ to making inroads with the
state’s increasing number of Latino voters.
Communities of color made the difference last year and are poised to be the difference-makers
again.
Black​ voters who tuned out of the 2016 election, re-engaged in 2018 and helped to make the
difference in Florida and Nevada along with other voters of color. Asian voters–the fastest
growing​ racial group in the United States–who once hesitated to choose a party affiliation are
increasingly selecting the ​Democratic​ party.
One fact the Democratic candidates need to grasp is that the road to winning the White House
in November 2020 runs directly through communities of color.

2. Candidates should understand by now that these voters have the same concerns as the Trump
voters some are so anxious to bring back into the Democratic fold. Their families struggle to get
by and often work multiple jobs to pay the bills. Women who are a majority of the family care
workforce, earn such small salaries that ​half​ depend on at least one form of government
assistance to get by, and more young people than ever are leaving college with staggering
amounts of debt.
What I hope the candidates remember as they stand at their podiums during the debate this
week is that voters of color are looking for candidates who actually live our nation’s values, not
just talk about them at rallies. It is essential for voters to see and hear them actively supporting
the ideals of freedom, respect, and opportunity for every person in this country regardless of
their race or birth country.
Voters of color will be paying close attention to what the 20 candidates have to say, and they
will sharing their opinions with friends and families as the election draws near. Smart candidates
who invest resources in our communities early and often to engage these voters, and show their
authenticity and interest in prioritizing the voters’ concerns will have a leg up on their opponents.
Pandering to voters of color just before an election is no longer an option.
Community Change Action is working with communities of color, women and young people to
build an electoral engine that will reach our nation’s most infrequent voters, who if not engaged
by a trusted friend or family member may decide to sit out the election. Our goal of engaging
250,000 voters across many states may not seem ambitious to some, but it only took ​78,000
votes to elect Donald Trump president.
Given that each of candidates will only have minutes apiece to make an impression with votes
this week, It will be interesting to see how they build on the debate’s momentum to begin
solidifying their connections with voters hungry for a brand of populism they can trust.
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