As Secretary Clinton heads into friendlier territory in South Carolina, where she is expected to win by a large margin and secure the black vote, she has tapped Denise Horn to head her campaign’s black media outreach efforts.
In a largely expected, but slightly troubling turn of events, the former first lady conceded victory to Senator Sanders last night in New Hampshire after declaring victory over him in Iowa by a minuscule margin of two tenths of a percent.
To @BernieSanders, congratulations. To New Hampshire, thank you. And to our volunteers: I’m so grateful for what you built. Now, onward. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 10, 2016
Clinton’s new hire signals a shakeup in her campaign strategy as she rushes to secure the nomination with help from the voting block that she believes will remain loyal to her vision—black voters. Although last night’s loss in New Hampshire was much expected, due to Senator Sanders’ stronghold in the New England region as the former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, it is not completely clear that Clinton will supersede this loss to easily clutch delegates, as once expected as she moves forward.
Enter Horn, a graduate of Howard University and the University of Chicago. She formerly worked for the social media giant Facebook and on President Obama’s reelection campaign. Most recently, Horn worked at the Department of Education on black media and HBCU issues. One can extrapolate from her pedigree and prior experiences that the timing of this hire is a ploy to close the excitement gap amongst millennials that currently tips in Senator Sanders’ favor. In addition, Horn’s appointment is pivotal to prevent that excitement from spilling over into Clinton’s assumed loyal voting block of older black Americans.
This insight is further substantiated by the rising panic that is beginning to permeate Clinton’s messaging to voters. The Hill reports that “Fifty-five percent of women supported Sanders in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, compared to 44 percent for Clinton,” and that “Young millennial women have not embraced [her] argument.”
Furthermore, reports reveal that her rival is making inroads with the older black elite prior to their showdown in South Carolina, which is equally disconcerting.
I am meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem. pic.twitter.com/Myf75EdgWW
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) February 10, 2016
It is no surprise, then, that a released memo from campaign manager Robby Mook focuses Clinton’s campaign on the road to South Carolina, placing both the New Hampshire Primary and the Iowa Caucus intently in its rearview mirror.
This is only the beginning. We fought hard for every vote—now we take this campaign to the entire country. https://t.co/YDbo2wiWJf
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 10, 2016
The month of March includes Super Tuesday, which is when most states will host a primary contest to apportion their delegates’ alliance with the candidates’ campaigns. Thus, looking ahead is wise, as the first two contests only determined a small percentage of the total delegates needed to win the party’s nomination in July.
As they head into South Carolina, it is clear that Clinton has the edge, but Sanders is chomping at the bits. Time will tell if Horn’s appointment makes a sustaining difference amongst minority voters, which is what Clinton is hoping for as she faces rising enthusiasm for Sanders’ Bern.
In other news, Republican governor Chris Christie is expected to end his presidential bid later today.
