Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott on Monday joined a coalition of high-profile Black male figures urging presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to pick a Black woman as his running mate.
In a letter to the former vice president, over 100 Black men — including athletes, entertainers and pastors — called on him to select a Black woman, writing, “Failing to select a Black woman in 2020 means YOU WILL lose the election.”
“For too long Black women have been asked to do everything from rally the troops to risk their lives for the Democratic Party with no acknowledgment, no respect, no visibility, and certainly not enough support,” the letter said. “More than 700 Black women signed on to a letter demanding a Black woman VP. And we, black men, stand in solidarity with them.”
Last week, a coalition of influential Black women released a letter, criticizing the treatment of Black women reported to be candidates for Biden’s vice president selection.
“As the Democratic nominee for Mayor, I’m committed to electing Vice President Biden and his future running mate for President and Vice President of the United States, whoever it is,” Scott said in a statement to The Baltimore Sun. “It is my hope that he chooses a nominee who reflects the broad and diverse coalition of the Democratic Party. I believe that is a woman of color.”
Biden is expected to announce his running mate this week. He has vowed to select a woman as his vice president and multiple Black women have reportedly been vetted for the position, including Sen. Kamala Harris, Rep. Karen Bass and former national security adviser Susan Rice.