9
forced more Latino immigrants to become citizens and more politically active (Villareal
& Hernandez 1991, 68-71).
African American Voter Trends
In terms of African American voter turnout, the Blacks and the 2000 Republican
National Convention report stated that “There are good reasons to believe that African
American turnout will be very important this fall . . . In the 2000 Presidential election,
most of the ‘swing’ states that will determine who will be the next president have
significant black populations” (Bositis, 2000, p. 8). The Joint Center for Political and
Economic Studies (Joint Center) conducted national surveys between 1984 and 1990. The
data suggest slight increases in GOP appeal among black voters. Prior to the GOP 2000
convention, approximately 8.3% of African American voters identified with the
Republican Party.
The introduction to the 2000 report contained the following statements:
African American voters have not given much support to Republican
presidential candidates since 1960. They are unlikely to do so in
2000, despite George W. Bush’s “compassionate conservativism” and
the significant amount of time he has spent appearing in African
American venues (e.g., churches, inner city schools) and speaking to
black groups (e.g., NAACP, CORE). They are unlikely to do so,
moreover, despite the prominence at this year’s convention of several
distinguished African Americans, most of whom have significant
roles in the Bush campaign or in the convention proceedings.
Nonetheless, the level of black turnout, and even a minimal shift in
allegiances of black voters, could determine the outcome of the
presidential vote in several key states. (p. 1.)
“ Culturally and demographically the Republican party has evolved since the 1960s from
being a midwestern and northeastern party to being a southern and western party, and that
evolution has profoundly affected the relationship between African Americans and the
GOP” (Bositis, 2000, p. 3).
Convention