When state elections have more racially diverse candidates, policies to tackle inequality are less likely to be seen as important

Traditional political theory suggests that as income inequalities increase, voters will tend to demand more policies which are aimed at tackling inequality. And yet, despite the rise of the 1%, we have not seen a comprehensive response from politicians with such policies. In new research, Konstantinos Matakos and Dimitrios Xefteris argue that race and identity may be a mitigating factor. They find that when elections have more diverse candidates, race and identity overtake inequality as issues of importance, and that this is linked to the election of fewer candidates with redistributive platforms.