In Dallas, T.W. Shannon, former Oklahoma state House Speaker and Republican lieutenant governor nominee, discussed the Republican Party’s progress with Black voters. He predicts that the momentum gained during the 2024 presidential race can continue in the 2026 midterm elections despite President Donald Trump not being on the ballot.
Shannon, who served in the second Trump administration, believes that Republican policies and the Democratic Party’s shift to the left will aid the GOP in appealing to Black voters. According to a Fox News Voter Analysis, Trump received 16% of the Black vote in the 2024 election, nearly double his support from the previous election.
During an interview at the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Shannon remarked, “Donald Trump transformed the Republican Party into the working party. Democrats, who once took the Black vote for granted, now compete for it.” Shannon cites job creation and reduced crime rates during Trump’s administration as benefiting Black communities.
“These are things that actually benefit…Black voters and Black communities.”
Shannon criticized Democratic candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, saying their policies are not well-received by the Black community. He highlighted proposals such as raising taxes, abolishing the Senate, and disbanding the police.
However, Democrats contest Shannon’s view, stating that Black Americans will reject Trump’s agenda favoring billionaires and causing increased costs. A Democratic National Committee spokesperson affirmed their commitment to reaching, registering, and mobilizing Black voters, while fighting to protect civil and voting rights.
Shannon, notable for being the youngest and first African American Oklahoma House speaker, as well as the first Chickasaw Nation member to hold the office, is favored to win in the upcoming election in the strongly Republican state.
Reflecting on his role at the convention, Shannon expressed pride in representing Oklahoma and the nation on a prominent platform.