I personally think that Sean Higgens is taking too seriously Josh Marshall’s pandering to his own side over minorities in the GOP – short version: Marshall’s assertion of increased minorities in GOP = white people fleeing GOP is mostly aimed at making white Democrats feel better at their own not-very-closeted racism* – but I’d like to note this:
[A]s any Republican fundraising consultant will tell you, there’s no better way to make Republican donors open their wallets than to send out a mailer with a black conservative asking for money. The Republican Party could use a lot more credible black and Hispanic primary candidates, perhaps. But when given the opportunity, Republican primary voters in extremely white districts do nominate conservative Black and Hispanic candidates for office.
Indeed. In fact, if you are politically ambitious, a member of a minority, and possessed of political/economic/social views that are not utterly incompatible with conservatism then you really should forget about trying to get elected in the urban districts that the Democrats have set aside for minority ‘use.’ Those slots are typically already filled by people who will not be voluntarily leaving any time soon. No, what you should do is instead move out to the suburbs – and run as a Republican. Much better odds of getting into office more quickly that way.
Cynical? Yup. Also, true. Besides, it’s not my fault that the Democrats have a caste system going on.
Moe Lane
*Amazing how a bunch of diversity-loving enlightened souls seem to have a basic problem with electing minorities to statewide positions. Congressional ghettos, yes. Everything else? Not so much.
I will admit a predilection for minorities who are conservative, if only because it allows me to rub liberal noses in it.