Immigration, Latinos, and the Transformation of White Partisanship

Abstract

This chapter examines white Americans' partisan preferences. Using data from the American National Election Survey (ANES) and a series of other national public opinion surveys, it shows that white Americans who harbor anti-immigrant sentiments are much more likely than others to identify as Republican. This is true regardless of what other potentially relevant political factors are taken into account, how partisanship is measured, or which survey is used. Importantly, using panel data, the chapter finds that changes in individual attitudes toward immigrants such as African Americans and Latinos precede shifts in partisanship. Similarly, using aggregate data, it demonstrates that the public's views on immigration predict shifts in macropartisanship. These results suggest that immigration is driving individual defections from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.