McConnell Under Fire for Comment About ‘Black American Voters’ and ‘Americans’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is facing criticism after he apparently slipped up while arguing that minority voters’ concerns about not having access to the ballot box are “misplaced.”

The Republican leader was asked what his message was to voters of color who are “concerned that without the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, they’re not going to be able to vote in the midterms.”

“Well, the concern is misplaced, because if you look at the statistics, Black American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans,” McConnell responded.

He added, “ a recent survey, 94% of Americans thought it was easy to vote. This is not a problem. Turn out is up.”

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A spokesperson for McConnell told CNN the senator meant to say “other Americans” instead of simply “Americans.”

And in a statement to the network, McConnell said he has “consistently pointed to the record-high turnout for all voters in the 2020 election, including African-Americans.”

The incident came after Senate Democrats failed to change the filibuster to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

Before that vote, President Joe Bideninsisted that efforts are being made to make it “hard” for minorities to vote.”

Still, he expressed optimism that “you’re going to see them willing to stand in line and defy the attempt to keep them from being able to vote.”

“I think you’re going to see the people they’re trying to keep from being able to show up, showing up, and making the sacrifice that needs to be made in order to change the law back to what it should be,” he added.