
With the 2024 election right around the corner, South Side Chicago residents start throwing for Donald Trump. The city is about 85% Democratic and voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden last year, but early indications are that it has changed in some neighborhoods.
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Eric Boyds was amazed by how many of his neighbors seem to be flirting with Trump. Boyds told Fox News Digital that “I think a lot of people from my neighborhood are riding with Trump honestly.” “… I believe he just has a method of getting in touch with our people.”
The city average is 32 percent of the population Black or African-American and 29.3 percent Hispanic, based on census data, while South Side Chicago is an area that leans about 75% Black with a smaller percentage of 19% identifying as Hispanic.
Demetrius, another resident, backed Boyds’ thoughts, pointing out the momentum Trump has among locals. A number of those conversations have centered on Trump, people around him in the neighborhood are tentative … ‘some leaning’ to Trump, he said.
Demetrius defended Trump’s record of helping those in poverty saying that had earned him favor with many. “Those people —his contributions I guess really helped them out a bit in their minds … he helped change the economy for them at that time,” Demetrius said. Although he understands how they see things, Meijer said it will be difficult for him to support Vice President Kamala Harris, telling TIME, “Just on my personal perspective and in my opinion I can’t agree with it.”
Not everyone right there will vote Trump because they have turned to him. Brittany, a South Side resident, said indignantly — “I don’t think nobody I know going for Trump,” she declared — pointing out that most of the people she knows are supporting Harris in this election.
Biden carried Illinois in the 2020 presidential election by 17 points over Trump, and won more than 90% of the vote in a handful of South Side Chicago wards. Yet even so, the latest polls indicate a tight race in 2024. Harris leads Trump by a two-point margin, 50%-48%, in the latest Fox News national survey.
Harris backer Quentin says a wave is building for Democratic nominee ” Right now, she’s looking a bit more formidable — with how she wins those questions, how she reacts to people… you can see that this is a candidate who can be trusted,” he said.
“Even in the states that are in a loss… it just seems like people still supporting Trump,” said Emmanuel, from Chicago. “Trump helped the people the most while in office,” he said. That’s just the reality of it.
Even Ben, who lived in Chicago for all of four years and remains undecided but leaning towards Harris. He went on, “Just not somebody who I’m too fuckin’ crazy about or whatever that ya wanna call it in office.
With less than a month remaining until the election, the fight for SouthSide Chicago votes reveals a generational tug of war happening within this community that reflects threads in a more national discussion.