Shocker: The Republican Party is Primarily A White Party

Remember when former Democrat National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called the Republican Party, The White Party?

Well, he was correct demographically.

More than 6 in 10 Republicans today are white conservatives, while most of the rest are whites with other ideological leanings; only 11% of Republicans are Hispanics, or are blacks or members of other races. By contrast, only 12% of Democrats are white conservatives, while about half are white moderates or liberals and a third are nonwhite.

But, historically, this has also been the case.

Gallup has data out suggesting that 89 percent of self-identified Republicans are white; the comparable figure among Democrats is 65 percent. These numbers closely match those from last November’s Presidential election, when 89 percent of John McCain’s voters were white as were 60 percent of Barack Obama’s, according to exit polls.

This, however, is not exactly anything new. 88 percent of George W. Bush’s voters in 2004, and 91 percent of them in 2000, were white. And nearly 98 percent of Ronald Reagan’s voters in 1980 were white as were 96 percent of Gerald Ford’s in 1976. The GOP is, in fact, slightly less white than it once was, as they do relatively better among Hispanics and Asians than among blacks (if still not particularly well), and Hispanics and Asians are starting to make up a larger fraction of the nonwhite (and overall) voting pool.

So, what is the challenge to the GOP as the non-white population of  voters increases in relation to all American voters? Will the Republican Party have to engage in crass racial pandering-type politics like the Demcorats have done since the 1960’s with African American voters?

Yes, if the GOP wants to win. But, since certain racial groups are concentrated in specific areas in certain states, Republicans may wish to concentrate on winning in other areas of the white electorate rather than confront overt racial pandering.

However, the GOP will have to eventually recognize the changing demographics and broaden their base of support otherwise it may be tough to win elections.