« I think it’s time for us to hear her voice. She’s been in Michelle’s shadow. »
There’s no question for Yolanda Barnes. She’s voting for Joe Biden in November’s presidential election. who lives in Shreveport, La., or what she calls “Trump country” — is a lifelong moderate Democrat who voted Republican once in 1980, for Ronald Reagan. “At the time it had to do with my stances as a Christian,” she said. “That was right before people like Jerry Falwell started Christianizing one party over the other.” Before then, she said, there were more Black Republicans. “The distinction wasn’t based on race so much. Now it’s really polarized because Trump came in and drove the wedge even further.” When Barnes heard the lineup for the second night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, she was looking forward to hearing from Biden. Jill Biden. “She’s always smiling. She’s a pleasant personality. She’s not pretentious,” Barnes said. “I think it’s time for us to hear her voice. She’s been in Michelle’s shadow.” She loves Sanders. She watched the convention to see if Biden can win her over. Barnes, a 59-year-old retiree, spent her career in a corporate managerial position, but she admires educators. The fact that Jill Biden is a current and longtime teacher is a winning trait for Barnes. But near the beginning of Tuesday night’s convention events, another woman drew Barnes’s eye. “That’s the woman that Trump always attacks,” she said as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N. Y.) neared the middle of her brief speech. Seconds later, she got a text message from a friend, Gary Griffin. “John Kerry!” she shouted. “He says he’s looking forward to John Kerry.
