Cuban Americans and the GOP

Even as pundits and pollsters analyze the Hispanic turnout and vote, something odd always props up; Cubans by large margins vote for Republican candidates and most Cuban Americans in public office are Republicans as well. Cuban Americans tend to be more educated, less religious, older, more affluent and more liberal in social issues than other Hispanics, so it would seem they would be a natural constituency for the Democrats, yet it is not so.  

Every election season I remember this conversation very well :

  Por que papi? Why are you so hardheaded about politics dad?

“Mijo son comunistas”…”Los cubanos son Republicanos”,

This question and answer set never seemed a good reason for my parents political choices, but it sure cropped up often as an answer. Over many political seasons, election nights and conversation with elders and peers over cerveza and Cuban coffee here are some thoughts on why “los cubanos votan Republicano”: 

 

* Cuban Americans come from a land where government dominated most aspects of life. There is an inherent distrust for “big government” or for government intrusion into private life and enterprise. This more so among the early exiles who are the most politically active. 

* Cuban Americans were turned off! Many who arrived to the United States in the earlier days of the revolution were turned off by what they felt was sympathy for the Castro regime among some Latino circles. Che Guevara T-shirts may have been trendy, revolutionary type slogans popular, among Chicanos and Newyoricans; but for Cubans these brought memories of betrayal and repression. That most Latinos they encountered favored the Democratic party only made guilt by association easier. 

* Cuban Americans remember the Bay of Pigs. Well , the older ones did and always reminded us!  CIA trained Cubans invaded the island during John F. Kennedy’s presidency but air cover for the operation promised by the United States government never came. Approximately 1200 exiles were captured and a number were killed. The credibility of the president and by extension his party was completely shattered among that generation of Cuban Americans.That story still resonates among oldtimers in Miami .

* Cuban American political leaders were welcome into Republican party early on. They say that even Ronald Reagan actually went to Miami wearing a traditional guayabera to recruit votes for the party. That sense of welcome along with promises of political change in their homeland were factors in the now 50 year relationship between Cuban voters and the GOP. 

* Cuban Americans and Elian Gonzales! I know it is senseless to think of this episode as many in Miami did! Clearly, the child orphaned in his mother's attempt to flee to the US still had a father in Cuba. However, the child's relatives and many in the Cuban community did not see it that way, his plight became enmeshed with their own story. The way he was taken by force from his relative’s home under a Democrat’s presidency was no public relations move. The following election where the Democratic party presidential candidate lost by a handful of votes in Florida, seemed to many Cubans a sweet payback. 

* Cuban American Youth - Has this trend and preference for  the Republican party changed? I would say, to a degree!  Younger and US born Cuban Americans do not feel the same ties to the GOP as did their parents. Cubans arriving in the US after 1985 also differ from the original exiles in political views! There were signs of this going back to the election of Bill Clinton!  Many younger Cuban-Americans broke with the Republican tradition of their parents and voted for a Democrat. Barak Obama’s election saw a significant but not monolithic loyalty to the GOP among Cuban American voters. A good number of Cuban Americans rejected Donald Trump in 2016 after a failed Marco Rubio, a native son, run as candidate  for President in the Republican party! Up to 40% voted for Hillary Clinton.

* Cuban Americans and Donald Trump: Now comes 2020, after 4 years of Donald' Trump's presidency which has been characterized as chaotic, terrible, racist incompetent by many. Surprisingly, the his popularity has increased among Cuban Americans even as it has dropped among other demographics.  

An FIU poll done in October 2020, weeks before the election found that Cuban Americans polled largely approved of Donald Trump and his policies and up to 60% planned to vote for him in the upcoming elections.  This echoes other polls showing a similar preference ! Respondents gave President Trump  high marks for his handling of the economy , the COVID 19 crisis, immigration, health care, Cuba policy , China policy and mixed but still positive reviews on national protests and race relations! 

Some might wonder at the reasons or the logic but for many exiles, specially in the older generation, still somehow traumatized by their experiences in Castro's Cuba, this makes perfect sense! Concerns about raised taxes, economic downturn, closer relationships with Cuba and Venezuela, fears of socialism, perhaps for some admiration for Trump's braggadocio style all have been mentioned as reasons for this reverse trend! 

There certainly have been a lot of changes in the Cuban American community since my dad's musings about politics,  but, FOR NOW,  it seems like his words will ring true in 2020:  

"...Mi hijo, los Cubanos son Republicanos..."

 Blessings

Seraph