Black American partisanship has been predictable in federal, state, and local elections for the past five decades. Previous academics explored the significance of party identification during elections when the candidates are Black and the voters are majority Black, finding that Democratic Party identification outweighed opinions on social issues (Kidd et al. 2007, 175). Studies ask whether Black Americans are loyal to the Democratic Party due to the concept of linked fate, even though the group is socioeconomically diverse (Kidd et al. 2007, 174). However, the treatment of Black Republicans as a strategic tool employed by the Democratic Party to sustain Black voter partisan cohesion is understudied. Relying on the quantitative analysis of approval ratings of prominent Black Republicans and content analysis of pertinent documents, I find there is a relationship between the Democratic Party’s treatment of notable Black Republicans and Black American voter behavior; however, it was not the expected relationship and is gender specific. As there is an increasing redefinition of political parties’ values and ideology, it is imperative to understand how Black Americans have continued to stay committed to the Democratic Party.
