Hall is part of a group of Black Republicans who have gained national attention in recent months. Their visibility coincides with the Republican Party's apparent shift towards more conservative positions on culture-war issues such as race, sexual identity, and abortion rights. Some Republican leaders' rhetoric and actions on these matters have created disagreement with the majority of Black voters, who predominantly support Democrats. Nonetheless, the Republican Party has made efforts to diversify its candidate pool by encouraging Black individuals, as well as Hispanics and Asian Americans, to run for elected office at all levels of government.
The party's efforts have yielded some success, with Black candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Texas congressman Will Hurd. Kentucky's Attorney General Daniel Cameron is the party's nominee for governor, and in last year's midterm elections, two new Black Republicans secured House seats, bringing their congressional representation to five, the highest since the Reconstruction era. Additionally, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who previously served as a Democrat in the Texas state legislature for nine years, announced his switch to the Republican Party, citing the need for Republicans in American cities.
However, despite these developments, Black Republicans still constitute a small portion of African Americans holding elected office. During the 2020 election cycle, the National Republican Congressional Committee highlighted 81 Black candidates running for office, triple the number from the previous cycle. However, only about one-third of the 2022 Black candidates advanced beyond the primaries, and just four, including two incumbents, won in the general election. In contrast, there are currently 58 Black Democrats serving in the 118th Congress. Among the three Black members of the Senate, only one, Sen. Tim Scott, is a Republican.
According to a census conducted by Governing in 2021, which focused on state and local government, Black lawmakers make up less than 10% of the 7,500 legislators serving in state legislatures, with only 13 of them being Republicans.
Black Republicans typically do not emphasize their racial identity and downplay the role of systemic racism within American institutions. Some have criticized Black voters for their loyalty to the Democratic Party, arguing that liberal policies have not improved conditions in Black communities. Most Black Republicans are elected in areas where the majority of residents are White, similar to Hall's State House district.
Hall, who previously worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), explained that during his campaign, community leaders and elected officials never cited his race as a reason for supporting him. Instead, they focused on his experience and values when considering him as a representative.
Leah Wright Rigueur, a historian and professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of "The Loneliness of the Black Republican," provides historical insight into Black conservatives within the party.
the Republican Party has recently begun investing in Black candidates who they believe can either win elections or disrupt the existing political culture. Felix Gines, a member of the Biloxi City Council, had hoped to join in this effort but lost a Republican primary runoff for the 115th District seat. Gines explained that his conservative positions on certain issues, such as school choice, the economy, immigration, and increased funding for police, were out of sync with the Democratic Party. He also expressed concern about the Republican Party's perception among Black people.
Gines stated that one of the reasons he switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party was to redefine the party system of both Democrats and Republicans. He believes that the Republican Party's image has become closely tied to former President Donald Trump and certain contentious cultural issues. Gines specifically mentioned his disagreement with the Republican stances on critical race theory and monitoring what instructors teach their students. He expressed his belief that educators should be able to educate without interference.
In July, several Black Republicans, including Scott, Hurd, and Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, publicly criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for defending a new state curriculum that included teaching middle school students that enslaved people in America "developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit." Some Black Republicans argue that critical race theory is divisive and should not be taught in public schools or used in diversity and equity training in government workplaces. They believe it is the responsibility of the Republican Party to protect children from being indoctrinated with CRT.
The negative image that many Black people hold about the Republican Party, including former President Trump's role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, poses a challenge for Black Republican candidates. They constantly have to defend this image when engaging with Black audiences. Janelle King, former deputy state director for the Georgia Republican Party, argues that Black Republicans are not obligated to agree with every stance of the party and should not feel responsible for defending anything or anybody in the Republican Party.
One of the Black candidates running in the Republican primary, Hurd, believes that the Democratic Party has taken the Black vote for granted and that the GOP's opportunity lies in putting forward candidates who are not racist, misogynist, or homophobic. However, the Republican Party continues to struggle to increase its support among Black voters. A July Pew survey found that 93 percent of Black voters backed Democratic candidates in 2022, similar to their support in previous elections. The Republican Party hopes to take advantage of polls showing lukewarm support among Black Americans for President Biden, with a recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll revealing that only 34 percent of Black Americans surveyed believe Biden's policies have helped Black people.
According to the poll, 14 percent of respondents admit to causing harm to Black people, while 49 percent believe they have had no impact. Johnson, who recently switched parties and wrote about it in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, emphasizes his opposition to defunding the police and his support for lower taxes and a business-friendly environment during his tenure as mayor of Dallas. He criticizes local elected officials, particularly Democrats, for prioritizing liberal policies over public safety and fiscal responsibility. The Texas Democratic Party welcomes Johnson's departure but criticizes him for waiting until after his reelection to announce the switch. In Georgia, State Rep. Mesha Mainor made headlines by becoming the first Black Republican member of the general assembly. Mainor, representing a predominantly Democratic district in Atlanta with a significant Black population, explains that leaving the Democratic Party felt like the right decision, especially due to her disagreements with colleagues on issues such as school choice, defunding the police, and establishing a state board for oversight of district attorneys. Mainor also expresses her belief that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's office is corrupt and that former President Trump is not receiving fair treatment in the criminal charges brought against him and his allies. Despite these controversial stances, Mainor remains confident that her constituents will support her due to their shared values on parental involvement in education and adequate funding for law enforcement. She anticipates winning reelection with a substantial majority, just as she has in previous races.
