After generations of unwavering support for the Democratic Party, black Americans appear to be reassessing their commitment to the party. John Burn-Murdoch recently wrote that “American politics is undergoing a racial realignment,” showing a significant decline in Democratic affiliation, while Nate Silver suggested that Democrats are “hemorrhaging support with voters of color.”
Recent polls certainly show a softening of black support for Democrats, a troubling development for the party. But what’s less clear is how much the decline in Democratic affiliation reflects a fundamental shift in political orientation versus a sign of general unhappiness with current political conditions and party leadership.
