After Kamala: activists fear Democratic primary whitewash
The California senator pulled out this week and the next debate stage looks set to be minority-free. Progressives see a problem
When Democrats won a Senate seat in Alabama two years ago, their chairman declared that “black women are the backbone of the Democratic party, and we can’t take that for granted”. #ThankBlackWomen began trending and the “backbone” metaphor has been an applause line ever since.
Yet when Democratic candidates for president debate in Los Angeles later this month, there will be no black women on stage following the sudden exit of Senator Kamala Harris of California. Unless something changes quickly, there will be no candidates of colour at all.