For all the talk of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from the Democratic Party, the 2024 election results demonstrate that its voter base has ironically become less diverse. Exit polls show that Democrats lost ground across a broad range of voter groups—Hispanics, Asians, Blacks, and both the working and middle class. The only demographic where they made notable gains at the presidential level was among college-educated white voters. So, what went wrong?
For years, DEI experts told us that viewing racial issues through the lens of colorblind equality overlooked the unique struggles of oppressed groups. They claimed that without addressing racial disparities head-on, often by discriminating against majority groups, real progress wouldn't be made. It turns out they were wrong.
Because they bought into the DEI agenda, Democrats were too busy trying to look diverse to actually listen to the concerns of diverse groups of people. Prioritizing "representation" of minorities meant compromising on the quality of their candidate pool. Prior to picking Kamala Harris as his running mate, President Joe Biden specifically said he'd prefer to pick a candidate "who was of color and/or a different gender." The media praised Harris' selection as a "historic" choice of the first Black and Asian woman to be nominated for vice president, despite her being one of the least popular candidates among Democrats in 2020. And in 2024, Democrats paid a hefty price for choosing a candidate based on identity rather than merit.
The Democrats' sacrifice of merit for identity only alienated minority voters in their base. Minority voters have grown tired of the paternalistic attitude DEI-obsessed progressives have fostered.
Academics infamously tried to impose the gender-neutral term "Latinx" onto Hispanics. Coined around 2004, the term gained prominence throughout the last decade, with Merriam Webster adding the word to its dictionary in 2018. But Hispanics consistently rejected being referred to as "Latinx." Academics and progressives ignored their complaints. And now a recent study shows that Hispanics are less likely to vote for candidates who use the term.
Democrats' focus on identity politics also alienated Asian-American voters. Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled against race-based discrimination in college admissions, many Democrats voiced their disdain for the decision. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the decision "a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice." What they effectively communicated to Asian Americans—who were, as the Court recognized, disproportionately penalized by affirmative action—is that Democrats and elite institutions would not stand up for them against racial discrimination. Moreover, in 2020, Asian Americans were at the forefront of the fight to defeat California's Prop 16, which would have restored affirmative action in the state's public universities.
Although Black voters remain a key voting bloc for Democrats, the Trump campaign still made surprising inroads with the group—especially among Black men. Perhaps the infantilizing rhetoric Democrats regularly use towards Black people can provide a clue as to why those voters have started to move away from the party. New York governor Kathy Hochul's gaffe—implying Black children in the Bronx didn't know what computers were—perfectly exhibits how dismissively Democrats view the Black community. Just weeks before the election, former president Barack Obama publicly shamed Black men who supported Trump over Harris. If Democrats continue down this path, they risk pushing Black voters into the arms of the Republican Party, just like they did with Hispanics and Asians.
Ironically, all the emphasis on DEI seemed to resonate most with college-educated white voters, who remained a Democratic stronghold in 2024. In other words, DEI was never truly about helping minorities; it was about allowing wealthy white elites to feel better about themselves.
As much as the media, universities, and some Democratic leaders want to attribute the results of the 2024 election to racism and sexism, the truth is that Democrats were out of touch. Voters, including minority voters, were worried about inflation and border security, and Republicans were addressing those issues. Ignoring those concerns and doubling down on DEI will only continue to make the Democratic coalition less diverse.
Neetu Arnold is a Paulson Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute and a Young Voices contributor. Follow her on X @neetu_arnold
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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