The Role of Race and Gender Come November

This presidential election could yield unprecedented results if Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris wins the race. Harris could make history as the first Asain American and Asian American female president of the United States.

She doesn’t lean into that for her campaign, however, according to University of New Mexico researchers in political science, law, and Africana studies who explored the topics of presidential race and gender during a panel held Thursday Oct. 3 at Travelstead Hall attended by dozens of students, staff and faculty members.

The panel explained how race and gender have been handled in Harris's campaign and how it has not been a major point of focus in her party, but it has been a point of attack for her political opponents in the Republican party.

The event featured three speakers: law professor Vinay Harpalani, political science professor Gabriel R. Sanchez, and Africana Studies lecturer Andrea Mays. Each speaker brought their own insights into how Harris’ race and gender have played in her campaign.

Harpalani, speaking first, said in reference to Harris' racial identity as a Black and Southeast Asian woman that “she claims these multiple identities and not only does she claim them, they’re ascribed to her at different points. She does not always have the choice.”  His remarks focused on how Harris' race and gender can be perceived negatively by the culture we live in, for example the framing with her Vice Presidential pick, Tim Walz.

“It was almost a foregone conclusion that her Vice Presidential candidate would be a white male,” Harpalani said.

Sanchez, speaking second, presented a data-driven report on key voting blocks, especially Latinos, and how their projected polling numbers have changed after growing enthusiasm over the switch from Biden to Harris. He highlighted a 150 percent increase in Latina voter registration and a 175 percent increase in Black women voters relative to 2020. 

The struggle for the Harris’ campaign is that while that registration number increased for Latina voters, the actual turnout may be low. According to Sanchez, “50 percent of Latinas indicate that nobody has contacted them at all to participate…we typically see conversations as to why Latinas don’t turn out in high rates. Simple reason is nobody’s asking them to.” 

Dr. Mays, speaking third, said Harris was oftentimes used to enhance Biden's ticket when it benefitted him, but was hidden away when it didn’t suit the campaign. She attributed this to Harris' race, saying that her identity is deemed “not normal” for the role of President. That is why as both Vice President and the Presidential candidate, Harris has been “managed” by a white man, which is a standard practice for politicians vying for positions of power.  

Attendees asked questions after the professors' remarks. Some questions around hot button issues, like immigration and the war in Palestine, were contentious among the crowd and speakers.

The event was a glimpse into why Harris has not been hiding from her identity, but instead understanding the complex and unprecedented layers that her identity plays in presenting her campaign platform and policies to voters.