Black voters are transforming the suburbs

How race and identity are shaping politics, policy and power.

Dec 23, 2022 View in browser   By Rishika Dugyala and Teresa Wiltz Hey there Recast family, We're sending you off into the holidays with a special treat: The conclusion to our Next Great Migration series. (We'll be off next week for the holidays, but back in your inbox Jan. 3) For the past year, we've chronicled how Black Americans have been packing up and moving in huge numbers, migrating from Northern and Western cities and resettling in smaller cities and — in a reversal of the Great Migration of the 20th Century — the South. Now, with our final story, we're exploring what happens to the entire nation when Black voters decamp for the suburbs, seeking what other middle-class families seek: better schools, more housing and less crime. Today, more than one-third of Black Americans live in suburban areas — some of the fastest growing areas in the country for Black people. Suburbs also happen to be where elections are won and lost. Here are three things you should know. ONE At first blush, the suburbanization of the Black vote holds enormous promise for Democrats. According to a POLITICO analysis of election results from last month's midterms, Democrats dominated suburban districts that saw a large influx of Black residents over the last two decades. But Republicans see opportunity, too. TWO From John James in the suburbs of Detroit to Wesley Hunt in the suburbs of Houston, more Black Republican candidates are stepping up — and winning in non-urban areas. That doesn't mean Black voters are flocking to them. James won Michigan's 10th Congressional District thanks to white voters, while a POLITICO analysis found that Black voters largely went for the white Democrat. Going forward, Hunt is bullish on Republicans gaining traction among Black Americans. Still: "Just because somebody is Black, that doesn't necessarily mean that Black people are going to vote for them," he said. "The best candidate matters." THREE The progressive Brennan Center for Justice found that Republicans controlled the drawing of 41 percent of House seats in redistricting's last round. And voting rights experts say the party is increasingly targeting the suburbs. Their strategy: merging those diversifying districts with rural areas, which tend to vote red. That's something Sri Preston Kulkarni, a two-time Democratic congressional candidate,, saw happen in his own race for Texas' 22nd district. A district that, soon enough, became unwinnable for Democrats. We hope you read the full story online. Of course, you can always reach us at therecast@politico.com. All the best, The Recast Team   Follow us on Twitter Brakkton Booker @brakktonbooker Rishika Dugyala @rishikadugyala Teresa Wiltz @teresawiltz Jesús Rodríguez @jesusrodriguezb Jesse Naranjo @jesselnaranjo   Follow us

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