The Revolt of Black and Hispanic Voters Fueled by Democratic Mistakes

If Donald Trump’s significant victory proves anything, it’s that Democrats assume minority voters will always be on their side. 

Shortly after her defeat, it was revealed that Kamala Harris had turned down an outreach plan proposed by the Congressional Black Caucus; during the campaign, she focused more on attracting young female voters than Hispanics. 

The left’s inability to retain the support of those they have leaned on for years makes me wonder: When was the last time a Democratic strategist even engaged with a minority voter?

Undoubtedly, the left’s leaders would benefit from experiences like the ones I had in April, which convinced me even then that Donald Trump was going to win re-election.

At that time, my daughter’s Jeep was stolen from Chicago’s North Side, where she resides. After a few days, the police found it and instructed me to retrieve it from an impound lot on the city’s South Side.

Descending there, I joined a queue of approximately 30 individuals, all black and Hispanic except for myself.

As the wait prolonged, we conversed. Person after person recounted that this was their second or third visit that week. 

Upon reaching the front of the line for the first time, they were informed they had filled out the incorrect form or visited the wrong office, and were sent elsewhere. However, they were consistently redirected back to the impound lot. 

Initially, I was skeptical – but after an hour’s wait, the staff member told me I had the wrong documents.

I insisted that I had brought what the police required, but the staff member dismissed me and instructed me to return with different papers.

Several hours later, upon my return and instructed to move to the front of the line, the staff member unexpectedly yelled at me to go to the back.

By then, the line contained about 50 people, all black and Hispanic, and they all chuckled. With my head down, I retreated, receiving encouragement from those around me.

It turned out that they were not laughing at me, but at the insanity of the situation, which they had encountered repeatedly.

After a few hours, I eventually convinced the staff member that I had the correct forms, had followed the correct procedures, and deserved to reclaim my daughter’s Jeep.

By that point, I had conversed with at least half of the individuals in the room. The same sentiment was prevalent: that the situation was “so messed up,” employing a less family-friendly term. 

They felt as though the government was working against them – forcing them to waste their days waiting in lines and completing forms.

I did not inquire about their voting intentions, but many volunteered that they were resentful toward the politicians who had placed them in this predicament. 

In Chicago, this typically equates to Democrats, who not only have failed to fix broken city services but have also contributed to a flawed school system and welfare system – and have significantly contributed to the disintegration of communities with limited opportunities. 

What is true in Chicago reflects urban areas nationwide, as well as entire states like California and New York.

If the individuals you consistently vote for have perpetually worsened your circumstances, why would you continue voting for them?

No wonder Trump garnered support from approximately 20% of black men and a clear majority of Latino men last week, while also performing better than previous Republicans among minority voters of both sexes. 

He genuinely made an effort to win their vote, directly addressing the frustrations and ambitions of minority communities.

Contrast that with Kamala Harris, whose eleventh-hour bid to attract black men involved pledges of free federal funds and legalizing marijuana – a blatant attempt to appeal. 

The individuals I encountered in the impound-lot line did not desire weed or free money.

They sought the liberty to escape the chaos created by the government, to progress with their lives, and to unlock their inherent potential.

Donald Trump addressed that fundamental desire.

Now, however, he must follow through. 

He must advocate for free-market policies that have always been essential to the American Dream, building on the significant accomplishments of his first term while avoiding detrimental government-centric policies that hinder progress, such as broad tariffs. 

If he fulfills his promise of genuine opportunity, he may initiate a generational realignment among black and Hispanic voters. 

For an extended period, Democrats have taken them for granted. It now rests on Donald Trump and the Republicans to provide the future that rightfully belongs to them.

John Tillman is the CEO of the American Culture Project.