Political commentator Matt Boxer recently observed a concerning trend, stating, "Smth dark is happening on the right, a kind of wokeness if you will. The kind that ignores that naturalized citizens drove the victories of Trump and more recently Poillievre denying Carney a majority in Canada." This commentary highlights a perceived "antiwoke coalition" that, according to Boxer, prioritizes its opposition to "wokeness" over nuanced understanding of electoral outcomes. The recent Canadian federal election saw Mark Carney secure the prime ministership, while Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre unexpectedly lost his own parliamentary seat.
In the Canadian election, despite the Conservative Party achieving its highest popular vote share since 2003 and increasing its seat count, Pierre Poilievre failed to win his Carleton riding. This outcome prevented him from directly entering Parliament, even as Mark Carney's Liberal Party formed a minority government. Carney, a former central banker, presented a more technocratic approach, contrasting with Poilievre's populist style, which some critics likened to Donald Trump's.
The role of naturalized citizens in recent elections, as highlighted in the tweet, presents a complex picture. In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, naturalized citizens were closely divided, with 51% voting for Kamala Harris and 47% for Donald Trump, according to Pew Research Center data. While Trump made gains among this demographic compared to 2020, the data indicates a nuanced distribution of support rather than a decisive driving force for his victory.
The "anti-woke" movement, central to Boxer's commentary, is a political and cultural stance predominantly associated with conservative and right-wing circles. It opposes what is perceived as "wokeness," a term that has evolved from its origins in African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) as awareness of social injustice, to a broader pejorative encompassing progressive ideologies, identity politics, and social justice activism. Proponents of the anti-woke movement often argue they are defending common sense, individual liberty, and traditional values against what they view as extreme or irrational progressive demands.
This ongoing cultural polarization, as reflected in the "antiwoke coalition," continues to shape political discourse and electoral strategies in Western democracies. The outcomes of recent elections, both in the United States and Canada, underscore the evolving influence of diverse voter demographics and the complex interplay between cultural grievances and political platforms.