During the 2024 US presidential elections, Donald Trump received a significant increase in support from Latinos and Asian Americans, according to recent exit polls. Some attempts to explain this trend suggest individuals of immigrant descent harbor deeply rooted anti-blackness and a desire for “whiteness at any cost,” to quote Frantz Fanon, while others argue sexism, particularly machismo in Latino culture and entrenched patriarchy in Asian mores and values, was a significant influence on voters who could not bring themselves to elect a woman, let alone a black woman.
While racism and sexism are certainly present among Latino and Asian immigrants, as they are among whites and other non-white groups, they are far from fully explaining these shifting political allegiances. Numerous studies show that Latinos and Asians are less likely to identify with either the Democratic or Republican Party compared to white and black voters. And their voting choices do not always indicate partisanship or ideological support. Rather, their votes are often driven by their policy preferences on single issues.
Despite the percentage increase in votes for Donald Trump compared to previous elections, Latinos and Asians still voted mostly for the Democratic contender, Kamala Harris. But this partisan loyalty does appear to be shifting rapidly. Why? My research into the political attitudes of Filipino immigrants and Native Hawaiians in Hawaii suggests that material concerns, and voters’ political socialization by different types of institutions from unions to churches to the military, play central roles.
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Auteur: Sharon M. Quinsaat
