Shades of Blue: The Nuances of Partisan Affiliation Among Black Democrats

• In Event: Partisanship and Voting Among Black Americans

Abstract

Although a majority of Black voters continue to register and vote for the Democratic Party in the United States, this high and relatively consistent level of support masks variation in the intensity of partisanship, particularly by age and gender. For example, while non-marginal shares of (older) Black men voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 election, the intensity of Black women’s partisan identification and engagement with the Democratic party has been characterized as critical to the party’s success in states like Georgia. Utilizing data from a large survey of Black registered voters from Los Angeles County, we offer an empirical characterization of differences in the strength of political partisanship by age and gender and its consequences for attitudes and behaviors. We demonstrate significant differences in the strength of partisan (Democratic) attachment among Black Americans by gender and generation and explore factors that explain these differences. We also characterize the consequences that variation in the strength of partisan identification can have on political attitudes and preferences. In the dynamic racial politics of today, we argue that the relationship between the Democratic party and African American voters will have a major impact on politics and policy and that these internal dynamics are therefore critical to understand.

Authors

• Shakari Byerly, University of California, Los Angeles

• Raphael J. Sonenshein, California State University, Los Angeles

• Ayobami Laniyonu, University of Toronto

• Boris E. Ricks, California State University, Northridge