Populism.
Wherever you are on the right, be it hardcore MAGA, ambivalent Trumper, or even Never Trump, you should find encouragement in the fact that the GOP coalition is a bit more racially diverse today than it was yesterday. For Trumpists, his gains with Latinos and African-Americans suggest that Trumpism is the most viable path to keep the GOP competitive as the country’s demographics change. Check this out: GOP share of non-white vote, presidential elections (%) 1952: 211956: 391960: 321964: 61968: 121972: 131976: 151980: 101984: 131988: 181992: 111996: 122000: 92004: 172008: 102012: 112016: 212020: 26 (preliminary) Adrian Gray (@adrian_gray) November 4,2020 For those on the right less keen about Trump, take heart in the fact that these gains will check the inclination within the party to double, triple, and quadruple down on “white identity politics” as its organizing principle as America’s population turns browner. Many righty populists have traditionally believed that Latinos are a lost cause to the GOP and that, if illegal aliens are amnestized, Democrats will inevitably weaponize racial consciousness to convert those newly legalized voters into a permanent liberal majority. Under that theory, the country is on a path to having elections between a growing “brown party” versus a shrinking “white party,” which would be poisonous to America’s political culture. But last night the candidate who can never quite bring himself to denounce white nationalists *too* vociferously ironically proved that it doesn’t need to be that way. Something about Trump brought more Latinos and black voters into the fold. We’re going to spend the next four years having heated arguments over what that something was. But for now, it’s worth taking a moment to gawk at just how dramatic some of his gains were: results from starr county, texas, the most latino county in the united states (96% latino) 2016: clinton+602020: biden+5 with >98% reporting we are witnessing a dramatic and historic realignment pic.twitter.com/PxC7ofJYL7 — Thao Nguyen (@nguyenthevote) November 4,2020 I still absolutely cannot believe that Trump won Zapata County 52-47 in the Rio Grande valley of Texas which he lost to Clinton 65-32% There is no other national Republican in America who could have done that. Just incredible pic.twitter.com/hytFLEZf8d — Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) November 4,2020 Trump’s overperformance with Latino voters should put to bed the idea that immigration-driven demographic trends portend an era of Democratic hegemony. The GOP can win non-white voters if they try. Just ignore the consultant class on which policies and messages to run with. https://t.co/dEp5ZfBZOR — Samuel Hammond ???????? (@hamandcheese) November 4,2020 Trump’s weak point last night, it turns out, was… white men: According to the exit poll, Trump did better in 2020 with every race and gender except white men.
