Controversy Over Minority College Admission Preferences... A Variable in the US Presidential Election (Comprehensive)

Concerns Over Backlash from Black and Hispanic Public Sentiment

More than half of Americans support the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the affirmative action policy favoring minority groups in college admissions is unconstitutional. The ruling came from a conservative-leaning court with six of the nine justices (including the Chief Justice) voting in favor, which is seen as a factor that could significantly influence next year's presidential election.

A joint poll conducted by ABC News and Ipsos from May 30 to June 1 (local time) surveyed 937 adults and found that 52% of respondents supported the Supreme Court's decision declaring the policy unconstitutional, according to a report released on June 2. Thirty-two percent opposed the ruling, while 16% were unsure. Although the ruling was made by conservative justices, public opinion appears to back the decision.

Regarding the racial impact on college admissions, 9% of respondents said white students face "unfair disadvantages" due to race. This figure was 36% for Black students and 37% for Hispanic students. Twenty-two percent believed Asian students experience unfair disadvantages related to race. The percentage of respondents who felt Asian students have "fair opportunities" was 65%, similar to the 67% for white students.

However, respondents viewed the Supreme Court's recent decision as ideologically biased. Only 33% believed the justices "rule according to the law," while 53% thought they "rule based on their political views." This latter figure is 10 percentage points higher than the 43% recorded in a similar survey conducted by the same firm in January last year.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Amid these public opinion results, voices of concern about the political impact of the ruling have emerged in U.S. politics. It is seen as a potential variable in next year's presidential election. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democratic Party issued a statement calling the ruling "a dangerous and regressive decision by a Supreme Court dominated by MAGA extremists." Within the Republican Party, there are worries that the ruling could further weaken support among traditional vulnerable bases such as Black and Hispanic voters ahead of the 2024 election.

On June 1, the political news outlet Politico pointed out that demands for reforming the Supreme Court following the controversy over the unconstitutionality of affirmative action could become a key sticking point for the Democratic Party in next year's election.

Future efforts to reform the Supreme Court may also become a partisan issue. From overturning abortion rights precedents to ruling against minority race-based college admissions policies, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court has repeatedly issued decisions that block the ideological goals of the Democratic Party, fueling calls for "Supreme Court reform." However, given the current divided Congress, the likelihood of actual reform being implemented is low.

Earlier, on May 29, the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the affirmative action admissions policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, which were challenged by the group Students for Fair Admissions for discriminating against white and Asian applicants. The rulings were decided by 6-3 and 6-2 votes, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.