For most of America's history, race has powerfully shaped its politics. Today, race is as relevant as it has been since the Civil Rights era, perhaps the single most important political fault line in the US electorate, destined to feature prominently in the 2020 election cycle.
Charges of racism have dogged Donald Trump's presidency. Republican members of Congress have also been accused of cowardice in not supporting these criticisms of the president, of abandoning the best traditions of the Grand Old Party in favour of populism, nativism and racism.
To discuss these recent developments in American politics — and how they will figure in the 2020 campaign — the United States Studies Centre hosted Mia Love, the first black Republican woman to be elected to the US Congress. She was joined in conversation by the ABC’s US politics analyst and presenter of Planet America John Barron and United States Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman for a discussion on attitudes to race and immigration in the United States and Australia, and the future of the Republican Party.
