Experts at an Ethnic Media Services briefing discuss voter trends, immigration, political violence, and climate action, emphasizing community resilience in a post-election America.
By: Nathaniel J. Greene, Community & Culture Reporter
In a post-election briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Nov. 8, a distinguished panel of experts offered insights into the factors shaping the 2024 election outcomes. Topics ranged from voter behavior and political violence to immigration policies and the role of communities of color in the electoral process. The panel included Professor Robert Pape of the University of Chicago, Kelly Dittmar of Rutgers University, John C. Yang of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Vanessa Cardenas of America’s Voice, and Ben Jealous of the Sierra Club.
Robert Pape, Director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST), noted the shifting dynamics in the U.S. electorate.
“We are moving to a multiracial democracy, and we’re seeing that the GOP can play in that game,” he said, highlighting how the Republican Party built a broader coalition of blue-collar Hispanics and other racial groups.
However, Pape warned against complacency, especially regarding the threat of political violence. “Political violence operates like a wildfire in wildfire season,” he explained. “We can scientifically measure the dry combustible material, but the triggers—like a lightning strike—are unpredictable.”
He urged vigilance, particularly in the months ahead, as socio-political tensions remain high.
Kelly Dittmar, Director of Research at Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics, analyzed the gender gap in voter behavior, noting its consistency with past elections. “The gender gap in vote choice is actually quite similar to what we have seen in recent elections,” Dittmar said, pointing out a 10-point gap in women’s support for the Democratic candidate compared to men.
Dittmar emphasized the need for nuanced analysis of voter behavior.
“We have to analyze and understand women voters in ways that don’t assume their experiences, priorities, motivations, or behaviors are at all monolithic,” she said, underscoring the complexity of intersectional identities like race and gender in shaping electoral outcomes.
John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, presented findings from a pre-election poll that revealed increasing voter engagement among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. “One in eight voters in this election were first-time voters,” Yang said, noting that this number rose to 28% among 18- to 29-year-olds.
Yang also highlighted the community’s concerns about anti-immigrant rhetoric and hate crimes. “About 60% of the Asian American community were worried that elected officials would stay quiet and not speak out against white nationalists and extremists who promote hate and attacks on our community,” he said.
Vanessa Cardenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice, discussed the role of immigration as both a rallying point and a polarizing issue in the election. “Immigration is being redefined—the lines between legal and undocumented are being blurred,” she stated, warning of the human and economic consequences of mass deportation policies.
Cardenas also urged caution in interpreting Latino voting trends. “The Latino narrative is very dangerous,” she said. “Republicans are making inroads among Latinos, just as they are with other parts of the electorate, but we have to wait for more research before jumping to conclusions.”
Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club and former NAACP President, tied voter behavior to decades of economic deindustrialization. “Since NAFTA, we have shut down 65,000 factories in the United States,” Jealous said, describing the despair left in the wake of these closures. “Most Americans now live where there used to be a factory.”
Despite the challenges, Jealous expressed optimism about green energy as a path to economic recovery and unity. “The biggest economic opportunity on planet Earth is changing the way everything is powered and transported,” he said. Highlighting examples like a solar panel factory in Dalton, Georgia, he noted how these initiatives are creating jobs and fostering collaboration across racial and ethnic lines.
The panelists collectively emphasized the importance of unity, vigilance, and advocacy in addressing the challenges ahead. “This is a fight between organized money and organized people,” Jealous said. “Organized people can still win, but we must be organized.”
Cardenas encouraged communities to advocate for immigrant rights and resist harmful policies. “We survived the first Trump administration, and we will survive this one,” she assured, urging a collective effort to protect vulnerable populations.
In closing, Dittmar reflected on the broader implications of the election. “We must dig deep into the roots of racism and misogyny if we want to address the challenges facing our democracy,” she said.
