Campaigning While Black: Black Candidates, White Majorities, and the Quest for Political Office
Matthew Tokeshi
Columbia University Press
Even today, Black politicians rarely hold the most powerful elected offices one step below the presidency: governor and U.S. senator. Matthew Tokeshi examines the campaigns of every Black challenger for those offices from 2000 through 2020 and points to the significant effects of racial appeals to white voters.
He demonstrates that Black candidates consistently face more attacks on stereotypically anti-Black themes such as crime, sexual misbehavior, and economic redistribution than comparable white candidates. However, despite this formidable hurdle, Black candidates can in some circumstances mitigate the effects of negative racial messages.
Presenting timely new evidence on the racial dynamics that shape electoral politics in the United States, Campaigning While Black exposes the unique obstacles facing Black candidates and highlights ways that these barriers can be overcome.