Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked on the Democratic debate stage if its possible that Black voters just dont like what he has to say. He didnt take the provocation.

The Black voters who know me best are supporting me, Buttigieg said Tuesday night in Des Moines, Iowa, after being served a difficult question about his campaigns struggle to earn the votes of Black Americans.

A Washington Post/Ipsos poll in early January showed Buttigieg with only 2% support among Black voters. Former Vice President Joe Biden polled at 48% and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had 20% support. As The Post pointed out, Buttigieg was also the top-tier Democratic candidate with the highest unfavorable rating among Black voters 21% despite having the third-lowest name recognition.

For the past week, Black Lives Matter activists have shown up at Buttigiegs presidential campaign events in California and Iowa, passing out flyers headlined Mayor Pete Has A Black Problem asserting that Buttigieg has been inactive on homelessness, police reform and has targeted Black and Latino neighborhoods for development projects. The Buttigieg campaign vigorously disputes these claims, citing South Bends decline in homelessness and grant programs for families to update their homes.