EXCLUSIVE: A Black Republican running for Congress is declaring an end to what he describes as Democratsā historic āfree passā to minority voters.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Missouri state Rep. Justin Hicks, who became known last year for defiantly declaring he identified āas an Americanā during a heated debate with Democrats on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), said minority voters are beginning to wake up to the āfalse promisesā fed to them by the opposite party.
Hicks, a candidate for Missouriās 3rd Congressional District, answered āI doā when asked if he had noticed the often talked about shift in support from minority voters toward former President Donald Trump and away from President Biden.
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āThe Democrats have had a free pass with a lot of minority groups, but I think a lot of the minority groups are starting to realize that the Democrats have, pretty much, false promises that theyāre giving them,ā he said, adding that āRepublican values,ā such as limited government, lower taxes, and āallowing you to live your life,ā were resonating with people from all different groups.
āI think, come November, weāre going to see a big shift when it comes to minority groups,ā he said.
The struggle against racialized politics has been an ongoing battle for Hicks, who serves as the only non-White Republican in the Missouri House and has faced what he described as harassment from Democrats in the chamber because of his race.
He detailed the instance last year in which he received applause during a floor debate on a bill opposing state funds for DEI initiatives after he refused to give in to efforts by a Democrat to get him to name the ethnicity he identifies as.Ā
āI identify as an American,ā he said proudly.
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The exchange still rings loudly in Hicksā mind.Ā
āIt was a shocker. It took me back when that question was asked to me, because thatās not the country I fought for,ā he told Fox, alluding to his time in the U.S. Army and deploying to the Middle East.
āThatās not the country that I fight every single day to ensure that we protect ā one where weāre identifying each other based on arbitrary lines such as the color of your skin, or how you look, instead of who you are as in your character,ā he added.
Hicks joined the Army at 18 years old and served for six years, an experience he says shaped his political views, and showed him the importance of building Americaās military and maintaining its standing in the world.
āWe really are a beacon of hope for so many different countries out there, and we have to remember that. I think we fail to realize that, as Americans, a lot of times, we get so caught up in whatās going on inside the country that we donāt actually look outside and see how blessed we are,ā he said.Ā
āWe need to ensure that weāre protecting those things ā¦ making sure that weāre funding the military appropriately, making sure that weāre pushing back against a lot of the aggression thatās going on with China right now,ā he added.
Hicks said his top priority, if elected, would be to advocate for a balanced budget in order to alleviate inflationary pressures on Americans, and avoid āpassing the buckā of extravagant debt to younger generations.Ā
Included in that is his 1-year-old daughter, Liberty, who he credited as the main reason he decided to run for Congress.
āThe America that sheās growing up in is one where we have a lot of selfish leaders here in Congress that care more about doing political theater than actually delivering results here for Americans ā¦ where our freedoms are in jeopardy a lot of times, and many aspects that make us uniquely American are in jeopardy,ā he said.Ā
Hicks faces a crowded Republican primary field, including two well-funded Republicans in Bob Onder and Kurt Schaefer. The winner of the primary is widely expected to win the November general election as analysts rate the race as either āsolidā or āsafeā Republican.
The primary will be held on Aug. 6.
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Fox News agency contributed to this report, published by ORDO News editors.
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