On Thursday, The New York Times published an opinion piece by Dr. Daniel Martinez HoSang, a professor of American studies and political science at Yale University, examining the Democratic Party’s loss of a significant share of non-White voters once mobilized by former President Barack Obama during his two terms.
After conducting research and speaking with minority voters in traditional Democratic strongholds like Milwaukee and San Francisco’s Bay Area, HoSang concluded that many non-White voters now backing President Donald Trump left the Democratic Party out of frustration with identity politics, rising economic hardship, and escalating crime.
“The rightward drift of minority voters is not a story of just one election. It is a phenomenon years in the making, one that is reshaping the American political landscape. And to understand this movement, you must understand the transformations in the places they are happening,” HoSang wrote.
A recent Pew Research Center poll shows that Trump has made substantial gains among Hispanic, Black, and Asian voters. Among Hispanic voters, the poll found a near tie—51% support former Vice President Kamala Harris, while 48% back Trump. This marks a dramatic shift from the 2020 election, when Trump trailed significantly behind Joe Biden among Hispanic voters, 61% to 36%.
The president also saw notable increases in support from black and Asian voters—rising from 8% to 15% among Black voters since 2020, and from 30% to 40% among Asian voters.
One former Obama voter interviewed by HoSang, Orlando Owens of Milwaukee, said he initially joined the Democratic Party because he is black but eventually became disillusioned, citing frustration with the party’s focus on identity politics and unfulfilled promises.
“When you get your food stamp review, you have to go give shot records, school records, blood type. You almost have to get absolutely naked to get a $50 increase. But you have people coming to this country who have no documentation who are staying in hotels for two years, for free? How is that right?” he questioned. “A lot of Black people have already heard the promises from the Democrats. And nothing was delivered.”
As traditional community institutions continue to decline, HoSang argues that many voters of color are now being shaped by new influences—particularly right-wing podcasts, social media, and online influencers.
“The narrative emerging from this wave of new media is a compelling one to disaffected communities of color; it captures the very real struggles they experience and repackages them as proof that Democratic policies have failed them,” he argued.
In San Francisco’s Bay Area, rising crime has become a key factor driving many Asian-American voters away from the Democratic Party. HoSang spoke with local resident Nancy Yu Law, who shared her frustration over the city’s crime surge, saying it has made operating her four Chinatown stores significantly more difficult.
“I have four stores in Chinatown. My store was broken into two times. At my gift shop, they took money and they took one tablet. My boba shop was broken into and vandalized. In those years, it was really unsafe. A criminal is a criminal. Elected officials did not stand up to say that,” she told HoSang. “It felt like there’s nothing you can change in California, so we were all just complaining. When I ask my friends, what do you think of President Trump? They are all pretty satisfied.”
