SC Connecticut News

Rick Harrison reported on a symposium hosted by Yale, where scholars, journalists, and political analysts gathered to discuss the emerging trends of support for the Republican Party among Black and Latino voters. The event was sponsored by Yale's Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS) and the Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration.

Daniel HoSang, a professor of American Studies at Yale who helped organize the symposium, highlighted surprising shifts in voter demographics. "After Trump was elected in 2016," HoSang noted, "the idea that four years later, 40% of Latinos would say, 'That's my guy' seemed farfetched — and that's exactly what happened."

The symposium is part of an ongoing project titled Politics of the Multiracial Right. Joe Lowndes from Hunger College and Ph.D. students Micah English and Minali Aggarwal are also involved in this research initiative. A volume co-edited by HoSang and Lowndes is set to be published by New York University Press next fall.

English shared insights from their research: “We’ve come to realize that what we are seeing is a lot more complicated and a lot more dynamic than what can be captured by simply looking at polling numbers or paying attention to national politics.”

HoSang recounted an experience at a Turning Point USA conference where young Latino strategists engaged with a mostly white audience using strong conservative messages. "They were saying we can bring these folks over not by watering down the message," he said.

Sonnie Johnson spoke about Black conservatism's growth during another event. She described how her blog attracted Republican attention despite backlash from Democrats: “On conservatism and insurgency... It puts us in a strategic position because the left is now the system."

Christina Beltrán discussed Latina Republicans like Susana Martinez during a panel on gender and culture within multiracial conservatism. Beltrán explained how Martinez used her identity strategically: “She created an affective chain linking sexual predators, endangered children, and undocumented immigrants."

Priscilla Yamin analyzed Evie magazine’s role in promoting conservative values among women while Loren Kajikawa explored hip-hop culture’s intersection with conservative politics.

Minali Aggarwal emphasized understanding diversity within right-wing movements: “What we hope to accomplish...is to demonstrate that the right is not one single thing.”