With the presidential election in November, President Joe Biden is scrambling to gain as much support as he can. In a desperate attempt, Biden decided to try and cater to South Carolina’s Black population over the weekend. Despite slim chances of winning the red state, the Biden campaign has identified this as a state to target in the 2024 election.

Knowing that Black voters helped him win the Democratic nomination in 2020, Biden took the time to thank them during the South Carolina Democratic Party’s “First-in-the-Nation” fundraising dinner on Saturday.  

“You’re the reason I am president,” Biden told attendees at the dinner. “You’re the reason Kamala Harris is a historic vice president. And you’re the reason Donald Trump is a defeated former president. You’re the reason Donald Trump is a loser. And you’re the reason we’re going to win and beat him again.”

On Sunday, he attended two Black churches. He first attended the Saint John Baptist Church in Columbia, where he gave a speech after the service, speaking about his faith. Later at Brookland Baptist Church, Biden attended a banquet where he thanked the all-Black crowd for their support.

“You had my back you had my back. And I hope I’ve had yours,” he said. 

The Black vote has always been an important demographic for the Democratic party. For over four decades, Democrats have been able to talk a good game with the African American community, often making promises if elected and failing to follow through.

“Success in November depends more upon a voting demographic like you find in South Carolina than that which you would find in Iowa or New Hampshire,” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), a co-chairman of Biden’s 2024 campaign and a critical ally in 2020, said in a statement.

According to a poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs in December, only 50% of Black adults surveyed approved of the job Biden is doing. In July 2021, that number was 86%.

To try and win back some of the votes he had in 2020, the Biden campaign is running TV ads specifically geared towards the Black community. Spending over $270,000, the campaign hopes to lure Black voters to rally behind Biden once more.

Unfortunately for Biden, more Black voters have abandoned the Democratic party this election year. According to AP VoteCast, 14% of Black voters supported Republican candidates, compared to 8% in the midterm elections four years ago.