The importance of the African American vote

African American votes are important in any Democratic presidential primary but one could say they are especially important for Barack Obama as he is probably expected to do well among these voters.

I happen to be one of those that believe African American voters allowed Bill Clinton to win the 1992 primary despite coming in near the bottom in Iowa and losing, despite placing a close second, in New Hampshire.

The African American vote gave Clinton the edge in many states particularly in the South.

Jesse Jackson won 11 primaries in his second bid including South Carolina despite the fact that he was never competitive money-wise and was never taken seriously by the majority of white voters. His success was largely due to the power of African American voters in many key Democratic states where they effectively form a swing vote.

While it is important to do well in early states like Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina, Obama must campaign hard also in the African American community. In one of the early states, South Carolina, black votes are often key to winning for Democrats.