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...and the Brandon political coalition is a rearguard movement of those who feel they are losing from these changes, working class blacks in Chicago itself.

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But Blacks in Chicago, working class and otherwise, are still overwelmingly Democrats so how would that be? I do think many see themselves as loosing from these changes however, and for some that does translate to support for Trump but it is does not appear to be the main form such sentiment takes.

Working class to lower-middle-class Whites on the other hand (The majority being prime Trump supporters) have been leaving Chicago's suburbs for Northwest Indiana, Southern Michigan, Southeastern Wisconsin and beyond (hello Florida and NC!) for decades now even as they are still a quite substantial presence in Chicagoland, unlike in several of the more fully global city regions.

Indeed, 2000-2010 was probably the last hurrah of any substantial white flight driven growth in Chicago's exurbs or suburbs, and even that was a huge slowdown from the white flight driven growth of many Chicago esurbs as recently as the 1990’s.

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Sep 20·edited Sep 20

Hi Samuel,

Thanks for your insight. But just because Black people still overwhelmingly vote democrat does not mean they are not dissatisfied with the changes in Chicago. The presence of Black people has declined more than any other group in Chicago over the past couple of decades. Over the past 20 years, over 250,000 Black people have left Chicago. Many of them have moved to surrounding areas outside of Chicago, but some have also moved to different regions of the country. Chicago must do more to retain Black people. As a Black millennial in Chicago, I often consider leaving due to the continued disinvestment in Black communities under numerous Democrats (even though I still lean that way politically). Please reference the article below for more details on this phenomenon of Black folks leaving Chicago in droves:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/12/07/chicago-black-population-decline-523563

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(Edit: Matt explained he meant Chicago's New mayor who's first name I had forgotten, -I was confused. I am a Californian but a long time fan of Pete Saunder work)

Hi Henry, I am aware that many Black Chicagoans are deeply dissatisfied with the currently status quo, but you mentioned the "Brandon coalition" which usually refers to Trump support so that's why I made the comment I did. I will check out the link.

I'm also aware that a greater number of Blacks have left Chicago itself over the the last couple of decades then any other group and many have left the region as well.

However Blacks have still been less likely to leave metro Chicago and specifically it's suburbs overall then Whites, specifically working to lower middle class whites (there has been a significant immigration of white professionals). The latter phenomenon less talked about but both groups are definitely leaving the region in sizable numbers at this point. Meanwhile Latino growth has slowed down quite dramatically from what it had been only 15-20 years ago.

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Sep 21·edited Sep 21

The "Brandon" is question is Mayor Brandon Johnson, current mayor of Chicago. His supporters are the remaining poor and working class blacks who are trying to hold on to power as it slips from their hands because of the exodus of blacks from Chicago since the 1990s. Their desperate and ideologically driven policies are a rear guard action against the changes Pete describes. They aren't post-modern liberationists, they are reactionary ideologues.

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Ah yes, I forgot Chicago's new mayor's name is Brandon. Your original comment makes perfect sense now, - thanks for the explanation! I can't comment on the intricacies of Chicago politics or if I agree or not as I'm just not familiar enough with them, but your point does makes sense.

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