‘Republicans could be woke’: A Black conservative from Chicago’s South Side makes the case for ditching Democrats – Yahoo News
Former President Donald Trump at Waco Regional Airport on March 25 in Waco, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO There may be a Trump Tower right in the middle of Chicago, but voters here are no more amenable to Donald Trumps brand of politics than the residents of his native New York. In 2020, Trump won only a single ward in the city, the 41st, on Chicagos northern edge.
One of the more surprising of the 558,269 votes for Trump in Cook County which includes Chicago and some of its suburbs came from the South Side, a majority-Black area that is among the most reliably Democratic sections of the city, as well as the onetime home of former President Barack Obama.
It came courtesy of Devin R. Jones, who heads the Southside Republicans, an organization he founded in 2000. Fix Where We Live goes the organizations motto, alluding to decades of official disinvestment and neglect.
A native South Sider who served in the Navy, Jones is unapologetic about his conservative beliefs. If anything, he thinks that many Black Americans would benefit from Republican policies, if only the national GOP stopped waging culture wars and focused instead on economic empowerment and policies.
Republican politics is especially moribund in Chicago, whose most famous GOP candidate for many years was simply known as Spanky. At the same time, Black voters are showing signs of disenchantment with Democrats. If that trend holds, Chicago could present an opportunity for Republicans to court Black voters.
Yahoo News spoke to Jones with the Chicago mayoral runoff looming. Moderate Paul Vallas is facing off against progressive Brandon Johnson, in a race widely seen as having national implications. The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Devin R. Jones. (Southside Republicans)
What made you start this organization?
Being a native South Sider, I had never had an option. Oftentimes, there werent even Republicans on the ballot. And so I felt that, as Americans, we deserve, at the very least, a two-party system. We deserve options.
Some people would say that the Republican Party, despite becoming more diverse in recent years, is mostly attuned to white concerns.
People would say that, but its a party that was founded for Black liberation. Frederick Douglass was a huge Republican. Booker T. Washington. Ida B. Wells, who was a native Chicagoan and Second Amendment rights proponent.
Story continues
Even [former President Richard] Nixon won with a sizable Black vote.
Do the Democrats take the Black vote in Chicago for granted?
Absolutely. And the Republicans allow it to happen. There are no policies from the Republican Party in the state that address Black people.
Do the Democrats deserve the Black vote?
A man casts his ballot at the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 3, 2020. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
No, no, no. Not in this city, not in this state. When you go through the South Side, you go to Bronzeville, Englewood, Roseland, the depth of poverty and destruction, the disinvestment, the institutional racism they have allowed it. We havent had Republicans running this area for 100 years.
How would you describe the mood of this city ahead of next weeks election?
People are nervous. A lot of people dont know what to make of this election. People are tired. They are not feeling hope from either camp. Theres no sense of hope. Its just like, Whichever one we get, well just figure out how to deal with, and thats a terrible place to be.
[Mayor] Lori Lightfoot said that she lost because she is a Black woman.
I think some of the attacks on how she looks were because she is a Black woman. But who cares? I dont think she lost because people hate Black women. I think she lost because she was not able to win the battlefield of ideas. She was not able to prove why her policies were best.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at an election night rally on Feb. 28 in Chicago. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)
Some have said the crime issue has been exaggerated.
Its not exaggerated. The numbers dont lie.
Are you afraid for your safety and your property?
Im not afraid. I carry.
[Jones clarifies he is a legal gun owner.]
Do you know a lot of Black people who carry?
I know more who carry than who dont. We have seen crime for so long in the Black community, we just know we need to carry.
To you, the Second Amendment is empowering.
That was instilled in me by my grandparents. They grew up in the Jim Crow South, outside of Vicksburg, Miss. They had shotguns to keep the Klan from coming back. I know a lot of people who have similar stories.
Jordan Landis, a gun collector, examines a pistol in EJBs Gun Shop in Capitol Heights, Md., on March 14. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
Democrats claim theyre fighting for equity and social justice.
The only thing that will allow for the movement of Black people and we have seen this throughout history is for the government to move out of our way.
Did you vote for Trump?
I voted for him the second time. I did not vote for him the first time.
Thats odd, because there are people who voted for him the first time but not the second.
I saw his policies. I saw what he wanted to do. I saw his Platinum Plan, which I dont think went far enough. But it was more than what the other side offered. Democrats offered lip service and no tangible policy.
Will you support Trump next year?
[Laughing] No. Absolutely not.
Why not?
He produced a lot of good policies. I just dont see where hes going this time. Hes reverted back to his reality TV personality. We have serious political work that needs to be done.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a GOP town hall in 2021. (Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
What do you think of [Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis?
I like many of Ron DeSantiss policies. I am still iffy on his approach to attacking critical race theory. I think, oftentimes, what Republicans do is, they throw the baby out with the bathwater. We have never had Black history taught with American history. So many Americans dont know that Crispus Attucks, a Black man, was the first person that died in the Revolutionary War. Many people dont know how impactful Frederick Douglass was on the Republican Party and on Abraham Lincoln.
DeSantis says Florida is where woke goes to die. What do you hear?
Anti-Blackness.
Woke [is] originally a term for Black people waking up. Republicans could be woke. Theres a lot of Republicans that are woke.
I think I just found your presidential slogan. Whom are you going to support in 2024?
Just based on whos out there now, it would probably be DeSantis. Im leaning towards DeSantis. But I am so undecided. Definitely not a Democrat.
I want to ask you about a couple other national figures. Ill say the name and you give me your impression.
Lets start with [South Carolina Sen.] Tim Scott.
If I had to choose between DeSantis and Tim Scott, itd be Tim Scott. I like his policies. He has offered criminal justice reform. Hes staying true to what it means to be a conservative. You dont really hear him getting into the culture wars. Hes very policy-focused. If he ran, hed be my top choice.
Sen. Tim Scott at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)
[Former Vice President] Mike Pence.
I like Mike Pence. We have a similar vision of faith. Ive been a fan of Mike Pence since I was a kid.
[Virginia Gov.] Glenn Youngkin.
Hes doing a good job in the state of Virginia. I like his lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, a lot more. Id like to see them switch.
Should we be supporting the war in Ukraine?
We need to completely cut that off. That is not for the defense of the United States.
That is not our fight. We have too much going on at home.
That money should stay at home. We can pass bills to send billions of dollars to another country. And then we have a debate about whether Englewood deserves a water system without lead in it.
We need to reallocate resources.
Concertina wire covering the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Nogales, Ariz., in 2019. (Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images)
Do we need a border wall?
I think there should be whatever is going to close that border to illegal substances and people crossing. Take the entire United States Army and put it across that southern border.
People would say youre not being an ally to immigrants.
We dont allow people from Africa to come the way we allow them to from Central and South America. We dont allow Haitians. I mean, how Haitian migrants are treated when they come illegally is abysmal.
Mexico is not going to allow me to come down there and roam around, homeless. Theyre gonna send me back after I spend time in prison.
- Cuomo: Mamdani has advantage as the Democrat on ballot - The Hill - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Morning Digest: An Arizona Democrat looks to expand the House playing field - The Downballot - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- 'Hell no, not on our watch': Texas Democrat ready to break quorum to block redistricting - Houston Chronicle - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- State audits find Democrat Jefferson County tax collector JT Smallwoods office in noncompliance - 1819 News - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Exclusive: Democrat on Bipartisan Push to Undo Part of 'Big Beautiful Bill' - Newsweek - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Better than this - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Texas Democrat Tells Joe Rogan His Advice to GOP That Trump 'Tapped Into' - Newsweek - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Democrat from Trump country auditions for 2028 with plan to win culture wars - The Washington Post - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Democrat credits Trump for opening door to Syrias new government - Washington Times - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Sonoma Raceway security guard charged with assaulting wheelchair-using racer during NASCAR event - The Press Democrat - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- A red-state Democrat test-drives a 2028 message: From the Politics Desk - NBC News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Democrat Joe Jaworski to run for Texas attorney general again - The Texas Tribune - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Key Democrat sends letter to Fox News seeking info on edited Trump interview - MSNBC News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Andy Beshear introduces himself to South Carolina as the normal Democrat - Semafor - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Ron Wyden, a Democrat, Wont Let Go of the Jeffrey Epstein Case, Either - The New York Times - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Democrat voters who sat out last election want candidates further to the left: poll - The Independent - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Is Phillys DA race over? Republicans are polling whether Democrat Pat Dugan could beat Larry Krasner as the GOP nominee. - Inquirer.com - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- A top Democrat believes Fox may have deliberately sought to shield then-candidate Trump from any further association with Epstein. - Yahoo - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Sonoma County family loses their dream home after yearslong battle over permits, court-appointed cleanup company - The Press Democrat - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- What to know about the race to replace the late Arizona House Democrat - USA Today - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Alabama Democrat who flipped seat held by Republican for 20 years is leaving office - AL.com - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Scoop: House Democrat probes Trump's 22-year-old terror prevention official - Axios - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Cuomo says he is Democrat, running on an independent line and Mamdani is socialist on the Democratic line - The Hill - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Opinion: From a Democrat: The importance of Ron Hart and differing opinions - Chattanooga Times Free Press - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- The Texas Democrat Trying to Force Trumps Hand on Epstein: It Seems Like Hes Trying to Cover Up - Vanity Fair - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Democrat accuses Trump administration of diverting 'critical resources' from fighting organized retail theft - Fox News - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Opinion | As Democrat Beshear eyes 2028, hell need to deal with the groups - The Washington Post - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- 'What are you hiding?': Democrat urges admin to release Epstein files - USA Today - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Virginia Democrat on possible shutdown: Its time to stand up for the American people - The Hill - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Bernie Sanders on AIPAC: "No Democrat should accept their money" - The Jerusalem Post - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Tame that red afro: And other things Id have done if I knew then what I know now - Belleville News-Democrat - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Temporary closure of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge for construction - Daily Democrat - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- I'm a Zionist Democrat. Mamdani has me asking if I must choose between my ideals and identity - The Forward - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Game on: Fields fill for Tennessees open 6th and 7th U.S. House seats; a Democrat in District 5 - Tennessee Lookout - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- House Democrat Calls on Kristi Noem To Resign Over ICE Lies - The Intercept - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Democrat rhetoric has gone from defund the police to attack the police, says GOP rep - Fox Business - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Vote 2026: Fellow Democrat gets in the governors race before Lamont - News 12 - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Palmer predicts GOP will increase majority 'The Democrat policies are so stupid' - 1819 News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- 2028 Watch: Another Democrat Contender Heads To South Carolina - FITSNews - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- PD reporter spends hours fishing at Santa Rosa lake with a rattlesnake in his kayak. Experts say he got lucky - The Press Democrat - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Democratic Party of Arkansas chair announces he will step down effective July 15 - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Democrat who says he stands for underdogs will be one in quest to unseat Hal Rogers - Kentucky Lantern - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Rep. McCollum Joins Every Senate and House Democrat in Opposing the One Big Ugly Bill - Congresswoman Betty McCollum (.gov) - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Mayors Fourth of July celebration - River Valley Democrat-Gazette - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Democrat Jeffries Sets Record In Speech Delaying House Vote on Trump Bill - Yahoo Finance - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Lucas: Trump should demand the unconditional surrender of the Democrat Party - Boston Herald - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- There will be consequences for GOP in 2026 after passing Trump's bill, says House Democrat - NBC News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Appeals Court Lets Trump Remove Another Democrat From Independent Agency - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Democrat Warned To 'Avoid Vulgar Speak' After Ripping Trump-Backed Bill - Newsweek - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Democrat sets record with 8.5-hr speech before vote on Trump bill - Times of India - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Pennsylvania House Democrat on Fetterman: If you dont want to be here, leave - Politico - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Colin Allred announces he will run for U.S. Senate again - Houston Chronicle - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Colin Allred is running again for US Senate in Texas - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Dan Haar: CT's top Democrat on how the party outside of New York should respond to Zohran Mamdani - CT Insider - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Geoff Duncan weighs whether to run for Georgia governor - as a Democrat - AJC.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Rips Fettermans Beach Gripe: If You Dont Want to Be Here, Leave - Yahoo - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- 2nd Democrat announces campaign to unseat GOP congressman - Grand Haven Tribune - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat Colin Allred announces campaign for Cornyn's seat, O'Rourke testing the waters - fox4beaumont.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Longtime Pa. Democrat says he wont run for reelection to Congress - PennLive.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Democrat McMorrow to report $2M haul for Senate bid - The Oakland Press - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Pat Williams, Last Montana Democrat to Serve in the House, Dies at 87 - The New York Times - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Democrats fight to exercise their oversight duties - The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Democrat Billie Butler wins special election to represent Somersworth and Rollinsford in NH House - New Hampshire Bulletin - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Democrat Wyden presses Bessent to commit to US sanctions on Russia - Reuters - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- House Democrat demands VA disclose any spyware, AI installed on agency computers as part of DOGE initiative - Stars and Stripes - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Zohrans Next Challenge: Another Disgraced (Former) Democrat - Mother Jones - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Trump wins over lifelong Democrat with 'big, beautiful bill' and more top headlines - Fox News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Rep. Robert Garcia elected top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee - NBC News - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- Rep. Robert Garcia elected top Democrat on Oversight panel, setting new path for partys opposition - Federal News Network - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- Hear heated exchange between Pam Bondi and Democrat over possible foreign influence on Trump - CNN - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- 88-Year-Old House Democrat's Staff Walks Back Comments on Reelection Bid - Newsweek - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- Top Democrat says Trump strikes on Iran a 'massive, massive gamble' - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- As a Seventy-Two-Year-Old Democrat, Am I Too Young to Run for Congress? - McSweeneys Internet Tendency - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Democrat AGs push to move OB-GYN tests out of Texas - Dallas News - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Robert Garcia earns key backing for top Democrat on House Oversight Committee - Washington Examiner - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Top House Intel Democrat warns 'we have no idea' yet whether U.S. strikes were successful - CNN - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Senior Democrat blasts Trump for not seeking congressional authorization for Iran strike - The Times of Israel - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- The Star Democrat's top 10 online stories this week - The Star Democrat - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Robert Garcia is a young Democrat with an old-style approach to moving up the House ladder - Politico - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Democrat Party reaches consensus to remain in government coalition - Nation Thailand - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]