The Electoral Costs of Nativist Policy
Date
2025-04
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Publisher
Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics & Public Policy
Abstract
Anti-immigrant politics are on the rise globally. Politicians embrace nativist rhetoric because it is an effective electoral strategy. Once in office, many politicians follow through on their promises, passing restrictive laws that heighten immigration enforcement or exclude immigrants from social services. While nativist politics may be a winner on the campaign trail, they are a loser in office. Though appealing to some voters, anti-immigrant policies harm the economic record of incumbents by disrupting beneficial linkages migrants create with the global economy. This harms the reelection chances of incumbents. Embracing such policies amounts to “shooting yourself in the foot.”