MAGA Thinks Sarah Huckabee Sanders Is Too Woke
The right’s turn toward identity politics has led activists in bizarre, self-defeating directions.
A recent headline has sparked controversy: MAGA activists now believe that Sarah Huckabee Sanders is "too woke." This assertion comes from a former White House press secretary and Arkansas governor, who has faced criticism over an ad promoting work requirements for Medicaid expansion in her state. The backlash stems from the ad featuring a young white man named Brad, who is portrayed as idly watching a cartoon.
Critics such as Jack Posobiec, Sean Davis, and James Fishback have dismissed the ad as "Antiwhite," arguing that it represents a systematic discrimination against white men. Sanders' retort to the critics was playful: "Next thing you know they'll say I should have used cookies instead of cheese balls."
This reaction highlights the growing influence of identitarianism within segments of the American right, particularly among younger voters. The right has long criticized progressivism for embracing identity politics as divisive, but it has continued to utilize racial associations as a political tool. The strategy has evolved from being "color-blind" to incorporating racial signifiers, as evident in Reagan's infamous "welfare queen" trope and the use of "forced busing" as a wedge issue.
Despite the rise of hard-core activists who seem to have lost sight of the broader implications, the broader right remains a marginal group. The lesson to be learned from this episode is the potential dangers of the wholesale embrace of identity politics, as seen in the Democratic Party's association with niche groups over ordinary people.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
