Why Are Democrats Losing Black Men to Trump? | Astead Herndon

Astead Herndon is frustrated by polling. After a career spent speaking directly with voters around the country about their priorities, he has found that the flat numbers of surveys rarely capture the complex realities of Americans. I sat down with Herndon, recently named editorial director of Vox after covering elections for The New York Times since 2018, to reflect on the past decade of voters’ choices and what they reveal about the nation’s identity.

While Herndon and I agree about the seismic impact of President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory on the news media, we disagree on the role racism played in his election. We had a productive debate as we discussed why black male voters shifted toward Trump in 2024.

We also delved into New York City politics, examining how Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s positions evolved over the course of his campaign and the challenges he will face in office as he tries to get things done while maintaining the expectations of his base.

This conversation is full of insights on how the media can better understand the country, and proves that healthy disagreement can be as enlightening as agreement.