Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Multiracial Politicians and Political Representation

How does racial competence shape Multiracial politicians’ policy choices? Minority voters seek descriptive representation to achieve substantive outcomes. Multiracial politicians crystallize a tension in descriptive representation as their multiple perspectives and ambiguous identity complicate claims of racial competency. Using a formal model, I provide a pathway to understanding how electoral incentives condition Multiracial incumbents’ choice to exaggerate policy or reveal competence. This clarifies tradeoffs multiracial officeholders face between appealing to multiple constituencies and signaling credibility to coracial voters. Extensions model how ideological polarization only benefits politicians when uncertainty about racial competency is high. Caucus membership provides insurance as it constrains policy choices and bolsters perceptions of competence. These findings advance theories of descriptive representation by showing that the multiplicity of perspectives and ambiguity embodied by Multiracial politicians complicates their ability to represent minority constituencies.