>> and these translate into votes and bringing other people in? >> i think that's a fair assessment. >> reporter: these women are the foot soldiers of a powerful voting bloc. cnn exit polling shows black women supported democrats more than almost any other voting subgroup, helping drive democratic wins in last year's midterms. a fellow sister, the first black woman to enter the 2020 fray. >> it translates into a ready made group of people who will come when she calls. >> reporter: this isn't just a friendship or a sisterhood. we're talking about political power. >> we're talking about political power, and we have it. we have it. and we're going to leverage it. and you'll see. it's going to make a difference. >> reporter: you're looking at a built-in infrastructure, and here's why. >> there was a connection that was made back on the campus of howard university that has transcended miles and years that brought us here today. >> reporter: a bond crossing more than three decades. in 1986, 38 women became line