Post-Election Roundup

Dr. Erica Ramírez and Dr. Jonathan Calvillo revisit the Latinx voter outcomes they projected in a recent HTI podcast episode about the 2020 presidential election. With the national media attention focused on this diverse voting bloc—the so-called “sleeping giant"—the two sociologists examine some of the narratives spun by the news cycle. Looking at the complexity of what it means to be a U.S. Latino, including demographic breakdowns by state and religion, Dr. Ramírez and Dr. Calvillo delve into the factors that may help to explain why a third of Latina/os have consistently voted Republican since the Richard Nixon administration. “Everyone seems to agree that Latinos are not a monolith—that tends to be one of the big stories,” Dr. Calvillo notes. “Don’t get me wrong I’m glad that story is out. I’m glad that story is being promoted, but a part of me is concerned if that’s the biggest takeaway.” He hopes that we continue to ask deeper questions about the Latino vote. RELATED The Evangelical Latinx Voter and the Complexity of Collective Identity