And how personal beliefs shape political choices.
For decades, the Republican Party has been portrayed as a very White and very racist institutional party. Not for just any reason— many extreme, right-wing figures have associated themselves with the party, including the likes of Nick Fuentes and Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan David Duke (who was elected as a Republican candidate).
But worse is the casual association with racism. High-ranking figures in the Republican Party have been frequently accused of washing away America's racist past. Famously, Vivek Ramaswamy stated he didn't know who Dylann Roof was, a white supremacist who shot up a Black church. Or when Nikki Haley stated that the Civil War was not sparked only by slavery, but rather a disrespect for state's rights.
However, I find myself in a deep minority of Black Americans*, most of whom support the Republican Party. This support does not necessarily translate to actual voter support, but just general support. As a result, most statistics will tell you that a majority of them vote for Democrats. In the 2020 presidential election, 92% of Black, non-Hispanic voters cast a vote for Joe Biden, compared to 8% for Donald Trump.
So why do many Black Americans support Trump but not vote for him?
Black Americans have historically had conservative positions or complete opposition to abortion, gay marriage, and LGBT+ rights. And so has the Republican Party. A 1987 article by current Supreme Justice Clarence Thomas offers many insights into black conservatism. He connects his conservative beliefs to his Christianity, a religion with a deep connection to many Black Americans.
Let's not forget the connection to social mobility. Many affluent White Americans support the Republican Party. As many Black Americans begin to enter the upper stratosphere of the upper-middle-class and the bourgeoisie, they too, begin to adopt the traits of the people around them.
But all of this doesn't translate to millions voting for Republicans. How can I assume that Black Americans are conservative? Look at public Black figures. In 2018, rapper Yung Miami became embroiled in controversy when she said, "If I saw anything gay in my son, I would beat him." Rapper Sexxy Red has also expressed an affinity for Trump. Of course, there are also known conservative figures like Ben Carson, Condoleezza Rice, and Candance Owens. Mike Tyson, Stacey Dash, and Herschel Walker have also all supported or endorsed Donald Trump.
An interesting perspective to explore is the stigma associated with being a Republican. Their current rhetoric is quite alienating, and it's often seen as using very volatile language. Celebrity endorsements do not make people support Trump. But they make being a Republican more socially acceptable.
So then why do most Black Americans vote for Democrats even if they fundamentally disagree with Democrats' policies? Survival. According to Pew Research, Black voters' main concerns are improving education, strengthening the economy, improving Social Security, reducing healthcare costs, reducing homelessness, reducing crime, and addressing issues around race. Republicans, as of late, have advocated for closing the Department of Education. Regarding the rest of the concerns, Republicans have been engaged in political deadlock within their party, so progress on any of them is currently stagnant.
However, I have very little belief that the Republicans will be able to sway over any Black American voters. Sway would require a very fundamental change in the Republican Party, regression to traditional conservatism, and removing the influence of the extreme right-wingers. Things are changing though— according to NPR, conservatism is rising in young Black Americans. I greatly look forward to seeing how political positions shift over the next couple of years.
*For consistency across this article, Black Americans are according to the census— "any person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa." This includes Black immigrants who later became citizens.
Photo Credit: Brian Snyder/ REUTERS
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