Democrat switches to Republican
Former Democrat candidate Shuwaski Young is ditching the party and identifying as a Republican from Philadelphia.
Young, who ran for Secretary of State in 2023 as a Democrat, is urging Mississippi’s African-American community to consider embracing conservative Republican policies.
“The Democratic Party began to leave me a long time ago with the policies that we put forth,” Young said. “We weren’t being honest with the people of Mississippi and the American people as a whole.”
Young graduated from Noxapator High School and attended East Central Community College before earning a political science degree from Jackson State University in 2007.
Young’s political career began as an intern under then-Secretary of State Eric Clark, who later hired him as the office’s director of marketing and training. He also worked under Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann during Hosemann’s tenure as Secretary of State.
Young said that over the years, Democratic policies increasingly conflicted with his views on family, poverty alleviation, school improvement, and the use of taxpayer funding.
“Those are major problems for the Black community in Mississippi and became a very strong problem for me,” he said. “The Democratic Party is not working for the Black community in Mississippi, and they are not working for our state as a whole—they challenge my own moral and religious beliefs.”
Young said Democratic policies have failed to address issues such as high tax rates, the lack of opportunities for self-improvement, and family unity while championing policies that challenge his Christian values, including LGBTQ and transgender advocacy and the inclusion of transgender topics in schools.
“That’s not to say people don’t have the right to live their lives the way they want to, but that doesn’t mean you have to go out and flaunt it in everyone’s faces and make it seem as if it’s a traditional way of life,” he said.
Young argues that state and national Democrat policies do not align with Mississippi’s traditional values.
“I believe it’s important for people to believe in free market principles and the empowerment of an individual to choose their own dreams,” Young said. “This is America. We have the opportunity to live in the best place on Earth at the best time in history.”
Young stresses that individuals should focus on self-sufficiency over government dependence and suggests that this mindset could spur business growth and job creation in Mississippi’s Black community.
Since his political shift, Young has faced backlash and criticism from some. However, many have supported him, thanking him for voicing their unspoken thoughts.
“We all grew up in this state together,” he said. “We played basketball and baseball together, most of us are Christian, we all have the same love of food and sports, but when it comes to politics in the Black community, the Democratic Party has had a stronghold of loyalty in Mississippi—that dependence has not produced progress.”
Young believes the Democrats have not delivered prosperity, opportunity, or meaningful change for hardworking Mississippians, particularly in the middle and upper-middle class.
He urged Republicans to continue engaging with Black voters, promoting principles such as free markets, individual freedom, safe and secure communities, and more support for law enforcement.
Since becoming a Republican, Young has connected with prominent state GOP leaders, including U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, State GOP Chairman Mike Hurst, and State GOP Executive Director Rance Bilbo.
Together, they have explored ways for Young to make an impact, such as participating in the Republican Minority Program and appearing on FOX News to discuss how former President Donald Trump attracted minority voters during the 2024 election.
Young points to historical Black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as examples of individuals who shared conservative principles such as family and self-sufficiency.
“These same Black leaders that we hold in high regard are the same type of leaders that are in the Conservative camp,” he said.
Young believes political evolution provides strong leadership, referencing presidential figures like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, who also switched parties later in life.
“Becoming a Republican allows me to be who I truly am and who I was raised to be,” Young said. “Mississippians are Mississippians—that’s who we are. It’s when we get national politics in the conversation that gets us away from who we truly are.”
Young encourages Black voters who are considering a political shift to visit the Mississippi Republican Party’s website with an open mind and study the party’s platform, goals, and vision for the future.