Black Republican who shunned DEI by identifying as ‘American’ says Dems’ ‘free pass’ to minorities is over

Minority voters

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A Black Republican candidate running for Congress is challenging what he perceives as the Democrats’ long-standing advantage with minority voters.

Justin Hicks

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During an interview with Fox News, Missouri state Rep. Justin Hicks, who gained attention for asserting his identity as “an American” during a contentious discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) last year, stated that minority voters are starting to realize the “false promises” made to them by the opposing party.

Shifting support

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Hicks, vying for Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District, acknowledged the widely discussed trend of minority voters shifting their support from President Biden towards former President Donald Trump by responding affirmatively with a “I do.”

Republican values

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“The Democrats have had a free pass with a lot of minority groups, but I think a lot of the minority groups are starting to realize that the Democrats have, pretty much, false promises that they’re giving them,” he said, adding that “Republican values,” such as limited government, lower taxes, and “allowing you to live your life,” were resonating with people from all different groups.

Harassment

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“I think, come November, we’re going to see a big shift when it comes to minority groups,” he said. Hicks, the sole non-White Republican in the Missouri House, has been engaged in a continuous fight against racialized politics. He has encountered what he characterizes as harassment from Democrats in the chamber due to his race.

Identify as an American

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He recounted an incident from last year where he garnered applause during a floor debate on a bill that opposed using state funds for DEI initiatives. This applause came after he stood firm and resisted pressure from a Democrat to disclose the ethnicity he identifies with. “I identify as an American,” he said.

U.S. Army

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The conversation continues to resonate strongly in Hicks’ memory. “It was a shocker. It took me back when that question was asked to me, because that’s not the country I fought for,” he mentioned to Fox, referencing his experience serving in the U.S. Army and being deployed to the Middle East. “That’s not the country that I fight every single day to ensure that we protect — one where we’re identifying each other based on arbitrary lines such as the color of your skin, or how you look, instead of who you are as in your character,” he added.

Six years

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Hicks enlisted in the Army at the age of 18 and served for six years, a period that influenced his political perspectives. This experience highlighted to him the significance of strengthening America’s military and upholding its global position.

Beacon of hope

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“We really are a beacon of hope for so many different countries out there, and we have to remember that. I think we fail to realize that, as Americans, a lot of times, we get so caught up in what’s going on inside the country that we don’t actually look outside and see how blessed we are,” he said.

Funding

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“We need to ensure that we’re protecting those things … making sure that we’re funding the military appropriately, making sure that we’re pushing back against a lot of the aggression that’s going on with China right now,” he added. Hicks emphasized that his main focus, if elected, would be to push for a balanced budget to ease inflationary burdens on Americans and prevent burdening younger generations with excessive debt. He highlighted his 1-year-old daughter, Liberty, as the primary motivation behind his decision to run for Congress.

Selfish leaders

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“The America that she’s growing up in is one where we have a lot of selfish leaders here in Congress that care more about doing political theater than actually delivering results here for Americans … where our freedoms are in jeopardy a lot of times, and many aspects that make us uniquely American are in jeopardy,” he said.