Great[er] Expectations: The Double-Edged Sword of Deracialization

Deracialization campaign strategies are guided by an explicit awareness of White voters' cautiousness, assessments of candidate viability, and assumptions that Black candidates will primarily advocate liberal and racial agendas. Deracialization candidates avoid using overt references to racial issues, public appeals to the Black community, and being associated with controversial racialized events or individuals. Critics contend that deracialization strategies devalue/undervalue African Americans and other underrepresented groups as important members of electoral coalitions and risk alienating racial minorities. Group consciousness has the potential to shape political preferences and behavior aimed at realizing the group's interests. The extent to which a candidate is deracialized might also depend on one's beliefs; whether individuals perceive a connection between their judgments about who will represent racial interests and perceptions that racial interests need to be met and ostensibly dealt with. Deracialization attempts typically occur at the campaign level but from the standpoint of political behavior they matter most at the individual level.