“I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Referring to Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump made this statement at the National Association of Black Journalists. Statements like this one, and others, have made race and racism dominant themes over the last several election cycles, and 2024 has continued that trend, with some important nuances associated with the Democratic presidential nomination of Vice President Harris. At a webinar taking place on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 1:00-2:00pm EDT, we draw attention to why comments like this matter, how they may influence voters, and the broader socio-historical implications for politics in America.
Race is traditionally a factor in presidential elections in the United States. Trump knows this and uses race as a means of dividing the country. Accordingly, he injected race into the campaign almost immediately following Harris’ emergence as the Democratic nominee, calling into question her racial identity. Trump said, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now, she wants to be known as Black.” He added that “she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.” While Trump stated that he does not care how Harris racially identifies, he knows that many Americans do. One strategy in casting doubt about Vice President Harris’ Blackness is aiming to chip away at the Democratic voting bloc of Black voters, whether this be by voting for him or not voting at all.
For most Black Americans, this race-baiting will not work. However, there may be some who view Harris having a Jamaican father and Indian mother as being different from native-born Blacks. Research suggests that Blackness in America has always been diverse and fluid. Harris attending a historically Black college and university (HBCU) and being a member of the first collegiate Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., are key cultural attachments that others use as evidence of her Blackness. Nonetheless, there has been a substantial increase in people identifying as multiracial in the U.S. However, the one-drop rule is still alive and well. People with African ancestry are historically perceived as Black and often identify as such.
Yet, in addition to the focus on Harris’ racial identity, there has been public attention on the demonization of immigrants. While these racial tropes and attacks are also not new to politics, Trump’s rhetoric on this issue has been particularly disparaging. An analysis of Trump’s tweets about immigration during the 2016 election showed that his messages were overwhelmingly negative and focused on connecting immigrants with crime and other social ills.
However, it is important to note that scapegoating immigrants during challenging economic periods is often a staple of public attitudes linked to race and politics. With voters identifying economic concerns, including the rising cost of living as their dominant concern in poll after poll this election season, the Republican Party has continued the trend of blaming immigrants for challenges facing the country, including access to jobs, low wages, and affordable housing. With many Americans unable to afford housing in their community and struggling to afford basic living expenses, attacks on immigrants have unfortunately had some traction with certain blocs of voters. Accordingly, it is worth noting that research overwhelmingly shows that immigration actually enhances economic growth.
Given the prevalence of misinformation in American political discourse, it is not surprising that the spread of false and misleading information regarding immigrants is one of the factors that has moved the immigration policy debate in 2024. Recent survey research has found that a robust 80% of Americans have heard false statements, specifically from candidates and elected officials, that immigrants are “causing an increase in violent crime in the U.S.,” with 74% being exposed to misinformation that “immigrants are taking jobs and causing an increase in unemployment for people born in the U.S.” Consistent with academic literature finding that the anti-immigrant climate negatively impacts the health of immigrants, over a third of immigrants in this survey say the way former President Trump has talked about immigrants in his campaign has had a negative effect on how they are treated—45% among Asian American immigrants in the sample. As the anti-immigrant campaign messaging ramps up, it is important to recognize the impact on the mental health and perceived belonging those advertisements have on the immigrant community.
Across both the 2020 and 2022 elections, fighting racism has been a salient theme to voters. In fact, 10% of voters in the 2022 election reported that addressing racism and discrimination was one of the most important issues they wanted Congress and the president to address, including 22% of African American voters. Racism remains a high priority for registered voters, and this is particularly true for Harris supporters—56% of whom note that racial and ethnic inequality is “very important” to their vote in the 2024 presidential election. This survey also found that Harris has a clear advantage compared to Trump to “effectively address issues around race” (+ nine percentage points).
From racial identity to immigration, it is clear that race and racism continue to be bedrocks on political campaigns. The unfortunate reality is that this focus distracts from voters objectively understanding key issues about work, immigration, and safety. In response to Trump’s attacks on Harris’ racial identity, she responded, “Honestly, I think it’s a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president, who has consistently, over the course of his career, attempted to use race to divide the American people… I think the American people want better than that.” Maybe so, maybe not. What is clear is that race continues to be a factor in political campaigns, and its effects on political attitudes are potent.