Democrats will have the chance to send to the Senate more Black women in 2024, than they have in any of the 234 years that the chamber has existed. The party has a message to those who want to break this particular glass ceiling: don’t blow it.
The retirements of Senate incumbents from Maryland, Delaware, and California have created a rare trio of seats available in blue states. It is even more rare that a Black female is a leading contender in every field.
Delaware is the best place for Democrats. Sen. Tom Carper declared last week he would not run for a fifth term. He threw his support behind Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester who is the first woman of color and woman to represent Delaware. This is a positive development for the Democratic Party after the midterm disappointments, when two Black women candidates in North Carolina and Florida won Senate nominations but lost in November.
The paths of Black women outside Delaware are less obvious. They are up against crowded fields of primary candidates who have massive wealth, or an army grassroots liberal donors. Democrats, who have been waiting for decades for greater racial equity and gender equality in the Senate, are eager to see the party avoid the mistakes of the last election cycle.
“The Democratic Party needs to get to Jesus and find out what it really stands for,” said Carol Moseley Braun, the former senator from Illinois, the first Black woman elected to the Senate. They talk about Black Women being the base. “It’s one thing for them to say that Black women are their base, but then not reciprocate when they try to get elected.”
There’s still some optimism.
Blunt Rochester has yet to announce a bid to succeed Carper. She was an intern for him. She is undoubtedly the favorite and will be if she runs.
In a short interview with POLITICO, she stated, “It is not lost on us there is no Black representation in the Senate, Black women.” “For me, to even consider this and be considered is really important.”
Kerri Evelyn, a Black progressive candidate who ran against Carper in 2018 told POLITICO that she would not enter the race if Carper entered. Left-leaning strategists were hesitant to recruit a candidate for this election cycle.
However, other potential Black candidates are not as fortunate to live in an area with only one House representative.
Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s county executive in Maryland, is running to replace retiring Senator Ben Cardin. She’s competing against Rep. David Tron (D – MD). A wine magnate has committed to spending tens or hundreds of millions. Rep. Barbara Lee is one of three Californians running for the position of Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom promised in 2021 to appoint an African-American woman as Feinstein’s replacement if she could not complete her term. This promise has been looming over the race, especially with the incumbent’s declining health.
“We hope that this is the year where at least one Black candidate will run, and if not, shame on us,” Stefanie James, a founder of the Collective PAC that works to elect Black Candidates. In the states that lean more towards the Democratic party, these Black women could be the choice of the party.
A Black woman is running in a state that swings. Pamela Pugh is the Michigan Board of Education president who recently announced a Senate run. She will face Rep. Elissa slotkin, D-Mich., in a primaries and then a Republican candidate in the fall.
Black candidates, and especially women, are faced with a number of structural and enduring obstacles that prevent them from reaching the top echelons in politics. They have historically struggled to gain the support of major donors and institutions, according to operatives. They are often asked questions about their qualifications, and whether they can win in areas with a majority of white people. They have faced increased online threats and vitriol in recent years.
Midterm elections brought disparities into sharper relief. Cheri Beasley was a Black, former state supreme-court justice who came within 3 points of winning North Carolina’s open Senate seat. Her supporters claimed that she didn’t receive enough outside assistance in order to match the GOP spending. Another Black woman from Florida, Rep. Val Demings lost to Sen. Marco Rubio by a larger margin.
“Don’t make the same mistakes again,” said Lee who is running for the California seat. “Help create parity. “Value Black women and their contributions.”
The battle in 2024 to increase diversity in the Senate will be fought largely during Democratic primaries. Safe-seat primaries present a unique set of challenges. While Democratic-leaning voter are more likely to appreciate the importance of electing persons of color, they also pose a challenge. The primary field is often crowded by non-Black candidates, which has annoyed some people who want to see change.
Laphonza Butler is the president of EMILY’s List – the party’s abortion rights leader that endorsed Alsobrooks. “It has to be more that just rhetoric.” It must be backed up by real action. Other candidates have the option to choose not to run, and show their commitment in a way that goes beyond what they say on TV.
In California, Lee faces a deficit in fundraising. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff has already accumulated $25 million. Rep. Katie Porter snagged $9.5 million after her viral questioning of executives at committee hearings. Lee only has $1.2 million.
Moseley Braun is a supporter of Lee. She said, “I’d think between Katie Porter or Adam Schiff, both would recognize that their candidacies were obstructions.”
Rep. Ro Kazna, co-chairman of Lee’s election campaign, initially considered running for the Senate seat but declined to do so, he explained, partly because he wanted to see a Black female in the Senate.
He said, “We have been tilting the scales in this country against Black women for 250 years.” “If we tilt the scales to their advantage for a single time, it is not the end.”
Not all candidates are willing, however, to step down. The size of the field in Maryland’s Senate election is not yet known. Jamie Raskin, a Democratic Rep. is still considering running for the Senate while Trone has already entered the race. Trone has spent more than $1.8M on TV advertisements in preparation for a primary election that will be held about a year from now.
Trone was asked if he thought about quitting the Senate race in order to make way for a Black female candidate. He said that he hadn’t.
He said, “We should leave color behind.” “While diversity is fantastic, I think it’s the best candidate.”
In a short interview, Alsobrooks emphasized that she was the best qualified candidate for the race. She had served as both a state’s prosecutor and county executive. She has impliedly said that a chamber dominated by white men and wealth is in need of a diverse perspective.
She said, “It’s difficult to represent people that you don’t know or understand.” There are many senators who, in my opinion, don’t represent the communities they represent.
Only 10 years have passed since the Senate was created in 1789 that a Black woman has been a member. Moseley Braun only served one term during the 1990s, before losing her election to a Republican. Kamala Harris was a California Senator for four years before becoming the Vice President.
If a Black woman won a seat in a deep blue district, she would be able to hold it for many decades without fear of a political threat.
Black Democrats are excited by the path that is clear ahead in Delaware.
Blunt Rochester was greeted by a crowd of cheering colleagues who wanted to embrace her when she walked into House Chambers hours after Carper made his announcement. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver asked, “Can I have an amen?” Other Democrats cheered as Cleaver asked.
Cleaver later said, “The Senate won.” It’s like Jackie Robinson entering Major League Baseball.
We always mention Harriet Tubman. “We always talk about Shirley Chisholm,” stated Rep. Joyce Beatty, a former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “Little Girls will now be talking about Lisa Blunt Rochester.”
Holly Otterbein is the author of this article.
