Larry Elder made his longshot campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination not about former president Donald Trump, but about the Biden-Harris administration and the biggest domestic problem he says faces Americans: the issue of fatherlessness.
Elder, a conservative radio host and author, told Newsmax on Monday the reason he dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump is because he believes Trump knows the "epidemic of fatherlessness" is an important issue.
"As I told him a few days ago at Mar-a-Lago, when I told him I was going to drop out, the reason I ran was not to run against him," Elder, who is Black, told "American Agenda." "I ran against Biden-Harris, and I thought on our side, including you Mr. Trump, are not talking enough about what I consider to be the number one domestic problem facing America, which is what I call the epidemic of fatherlessness.
"Seventy percent of Black kids enter the world without a father in the home, married to the mother, up from 25% back in [1965]. Now, 25% of white kids enter the world without a father in the home. Nearly half of Hispanic kids. I told him the numbers are clear: When you're raised without a father, you're five times more likely to be poor and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of school and 25 times more likely end up in jail.
"And I told him this: According to the [U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], Black males aged 10 to 43, I kid you not, [are] 13 times more likely to be murdered than a white male same in the same demo, and he was shocked by that stat. I said that one of the reasons I'm supporting you is because I know that you know this is important."
Trump, the front-runner for the GOP nomination by a wide margin, addressed Elder's endorsement on Truth Social.
"So great to have the Endorsement of wonderful Larry Elder," Trump posted Oct. 27. "Respected by all, he has so much of importance to say, especially when it comes to fathers and families. Thank you Larry!"
Elder, whose book "As Goes California: My Mission to Rescue the Golden State and Save the Nation" goes on sale Tuesday, said he appreciated Trump posting about fathers and families.
"I couldn't be more gratified," Elder said. "As far as I'm concerned, mission accomplished."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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