October 26, 2024
As Election Day looms, New York City is flooded with support for Former President Donald Trump from minorities including Muslims, African Americans and Latino residents. All of this comes as Trump gets ready for a much-anticipated rally at Madison Square Garden Sunday that has New Yorkers in the city going wild. Residents in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge and Crown Heights interviewed for Newsmax reveal an odd support for Trump — frustration at Vice President Kamala Harris, and disappointment at the direction of the Democratic Party (Newsmax).
Different Neighborhoods Get behind Trump in New York.
The journalist and political pundit Cara Castronuova recently visited some of the boroughs of New York with a wide range of people to hear their thoughts on the upcoming election. When Castronuova interviewed residents of Brooklyn’s Muslim and Arab-heavy neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Trump landed on surprisingly high support levels. Palestinian, Yemeni, Egyptian and other locals voted with their feet against the Democratic ticket for promises not kept and disrespect for their communities. And some of them cited Trump’s support for Middle Eastern peace efforts as an excuse.
“Kamala Harris isn’t doing anything for Muslim Americans,” explained a Palestinian-American store owner in Bay Ridge, whose storefront displayed “Free Palestine” banners. “She talks, but nothing changes. Trump says he’s going to do something and he does it. We need a leader who will actually bring change,” he continued. This sentiment was echoed by others in the neighborhood, who praised Trump’s commitment to security and prosperity, noting that the former president’s stance on foreign policy aligns more with their hopes for Middle Eastern peace than current Democratic policies.
For many in Crown Heights, an African American and Orthodox Jewish neighborhood, the Second Amendment and self-defense was their most prominent motivator to support Trump. “Kamala Harris and her husband have armed security, so why can’t we?” questioned one resident, pointing to New York’s restrictive gun laws. “I’m supporting the person who will protect my right to defend my family.” Such remarks highlight a growing frustration with Democratic policies, which many in minority communities feel are disconnected from the everyday realities of crime and safety.
Trump’s Growing Appeal Among Minority Voters Nationwide
The overwhelming New York City vote for Trump parallels national polling that suggests a turn in minority voters in favor of Trump’s campaign. Democratic candidates have always had strong minority support but data shows that those groups are not sticking with their former affiliation with the Democratic Party. Trump is also winning Hispanic votes in Florida, Texas and Arizona — and the same numbers are starting to show up among African Americans.
And even the Democratic Party, which formerly positioned itself as the party of inclusion, is increasingly disengaged with many voters in these communities. It’s the Democrats’ pursuit of progressive policies and identity politics that has been sometimes in opposition to economic stability, public safety and educational reform that more deeply appeal to working-class voters across the political spectrum, observers point out.
“Trump’s message on jobs, lowering taxes, and protecting American industries appeals across racial lines,” explains Henry Fernandez, a political analyst with the American Public Policy Institute. “Voters are looking at their day-to-day lives—rising costs, struggling small businesses, and rising crime—and finding the Democrats out of touch with these issues.” Fernandez adds that, by contrast, Trump’s message of restoring economic strength and protecting individual freedoms resonates more as people prioritize tangible improvements over ideological rhetoric.
A Shift in Political Loyalties Amid Democratic Disconnect
For many minority voters, support for Trump is rooted in a desire for pragmatic solutions over party loyalty. Trump’s economic policy, especially in creating jobs and deregulation for small business, has been a huge draw. At a small grocery store in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, for instance, the manager of the shop explained that Trump’s emphasis on empowering small businesses and cutting taxes gets right at the core of his priorities. “It’s harder than ever to keep the lights on. Biden and Harris talk about climate change and electric cars, but we’re here just trying to afford groceries and keep our doors open,” he explained.
That’s mirrored among African Americans, where Trump supporters tend to be safer with families on the side. A young father in Washington Square Park told Castronuova that he backs Trump because his agenda coincides with the one he seeks, which is to live in a stable, one-income family. “RFK Jr. endorsed Trump to bring back the American Dream,” he explained. “I want to support my family on one income, with my kids safe in school and my wife at home. Trump and RFK Jr. give me hope that this is possible.”
Muslim and Arab Support Signals a Historic Shift
One of the most notable developments is the level of support Trump is receiving from Muslim and Arab Americans, particularly in areas with large populations like Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge. Most make the choice because they feel that Trump will be better at handling the Middle Eastern conflict and making peace that works for their society. “As a Palestinian, if I vote, it’s for Trump,” said another Bay Ridge resident. “He promised to stop these wars, and I believe he will. We need him to bring peace.”
Such political pivots might come at an important election moment in swing states such as Michigan, where a high percentage of the population are Muslims. In Michigan, with more than 200,000 registered Muslim voters, which Biden narrowly captured in 2020, if these sentiments hold, things could go Trump’s way. And as one Palestinian man put it, “Muslims across Michigan want peace. Trump promised that, and I think he can deliver.”
Looking Ahead: An Unconventional Coalition of Support
Trump’s increasing traction among minorities is the kind of development that many in the Republican Party are expecting to give their party new life. It also signifies the break from party-line voting — Americans no longer vote party loyalty but on the basis of policy adequacy. The movement in these communities also shows how frustrated people are with an administration whose primary agenda is ideological bluster rather than the provision of real world problems such as security, prosperity and opportunity.
“Trump’s appeal is a return to pragmatism,” explains Fernandez. “He’s focusing on what Americans of all backgrounds care about: jobs, safety, and freedom. That message cuts across traditional political divides and brings together people who want practical solutions.”
As Trump’s campaign gears up for his Madison Square Garden rally, it’s clear that his reach extends far beyond his traditional base. That growing acclaim from minority voters in New York and across the country might well turn the election on its head, and it is part of a new era of political unity as Americans of all stripes join forces in the quest for strength, prosperity and personal freedom.
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