Biracial at the Ballot Box: Exploring the Association Between Interracial Relationships and Political Beliefs

Abstract Despite the tremendous influence politicians have over the lives of the growing number of people in interracial relationships in the United States, little is known about the political beliefs of interracially partnered individuals. Using nationally representative data from the Add Health Study, we find people in interracial relationships generally have more liberal political views than those in same-race relationships, but differences are moderated by the individual’s race/ethnicity, sex, and marital status. Specifically, interracially partnered women have liberal-leaning beliefs, but individuals who are Asian, Hispanic, and married have more conservative-leaning views. Three-way interactions further reveal interracially married Asian and Black persons both have more liberal-leaning political beliefs. The impact the growing prevalence of interracial relationships may have on the future evolution of American political representation and policies is discussed.