Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford who has done research on the Latino community and was an adviser to the Obama administration on drug policy, says Democrats have fallen prey to what he calls “out-group homogeneity,” the idea that all the people different from you must be alike. Many white Democrats, he says, have mistakenly lumped “Black and Brown” people together in a single category—an “other” who often face systemic discrimination by the criminal justice system or other institutions.
But there are growing differences between both groups, Humphreys says. For a start, Latinos came willingly to America to get ahead, and share in the narrative of America as a land of opportunity, while Blacks’ ancestors arrived enslaved, have faced far greater discrimination and have sometimes struggled to get ahead.
Latinos are the fastest-growing ethnic group of homeowners, according to the National Association of Realtors. They have nearly doubled their participation in police forces to 14.2% by 2020 compared with 7.8% in 1997, and they have greater trust in police than Blacks, 64% to 56%.
“The phrase ‘Black and Brown voters’ grates on me,” Humphreys says. “It’s white political-consultant talk that assumes everyone who is not white is the same.
“Look at Texas. They say, ‘It’s going to be more Brown and Black, so it will flip to Democrats,’” he says. “This election I hope destroys that. It’s a really lazy way to think. And it leads you down pathways electorally that aren’t viable.”
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I think Humphreys is oversimplifying here. Yes, Latino and Black communities have unique histories, but they're both impacted by systemic racism. We can acknowledge differences without denying the common struggles with things like police violence and economic disparity!
@7Z3VPGHCentre-Left1yr1Y
He's right, though. I see a lot of politicians treating us like a monolithic 'Brown bloc,' and it’s frustrating. We came here for opportunity, not to be pigeonholed! My family cares about economic progress, entrepreneurship, and stability—not just social justice issues.
Typical. Democrats have built this 'rainbow coalition' idea, assuming more 'minorities' equals guaranteed votes. Humphreys is calling out a major flaw in their plan. Democrats will keep losing if they think they can lump all non-white voters together!
I’ve been in Democratic strategy rooms, and this is a tough balance. The goal is to be inclusive, but we’re also trying to reach large, diverse groups quickly. Maybe we could refine our approach to acknowledge the differences more thoughtfully, but it’s a hard line to walk.
@82Y7LTYConservatism1yr1Y
As a Latino, I get what he’s saying. My family is socially conservative, pro-business, and actually respects law enforcement. Our community isn’t guaranteed to be Democrat just because we're ‘people of color.’
@MellowUn1onDemocrat1yr1Y
Hold up. It's not 'lazy' to see commonalities between Black and Brown struggles. Latino and Black folks DO face similar barriers, and that deserves attention. But I agree, we’re not the same—our histories with America are very different, and I can see how that affects voting priorities.
@Un1onRichieGreen1yr1Y
Out-group homogeneity is a real cognitive bias. This isn’t just a political issue—it’s human psychology. I think Democrats have to dig deeper into each community’s specific values, or they’ll keep making errors in outreach.
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