AP writers: Race 'at the center' of 2020 election

(29 Jun 2020) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus138940 Race and addressing systemic racism are at the forefront of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, according to Associated Press reporters gathering in a talkback of top political concerns. The reenergized movement against racial inequality has amplified the voices of Black candidates, in some cases pushing the political debate over race into Republican-leaning areas. Democrats say they've seen a significant boost in fundraising and other engagement for candidates running on racial justice issues and believe it could help the party flip some Republican-held districts in November. It's also puts the presidential candidates' handling of race into the spotlight, AP national race and ethnicity writer Kat Stafford says. "Joe Biden, frankly, needs a Black woman to help him navigate these challenges that we're facing right now in America when it comes to race," Stafford says of feedback from voters she's spoken to. Stafford says Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is the only candidate who frequently addresses "systemic racism." In contrast, during a golf-cart parade this month for President Donald Trump's birthday, a man shouted, "White Power," when confronted by anti-Trump protesters. A video clip of that confrontation was tweeted approvingly by Trump last weekend and then taken down. The Trump parade occurred June 14 in the planned community immediately after a vigil was held by an African American philanthropic group to honor Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. The President has denied hearing the words "White Power" in the video before sharing it. AP political writer Bill Barrow says activists warn Biden must still court Black voters, even if Black voters overwhelmingly oppose the president. "A lot of people were saying, all right, the time has come not just for a woman but for a Black woman," he says. "Black women were extremely important to nominating Joe Biden." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...