Mother Jones video correspondent Garrison Hayes produced and hosted one of the 2024 election’s most daring and thought-provoking video features, one that instantly sparked heated debates across social media about the limits and promises of Black political power by profiling the rise of “Black MAGA,” marking yet another milestone in Mother Jones’ commitment to innovative video storytelling.
Hayes’ 20-minute mini-documentary, “I Spent a Week With Black Republicans,” was released during a pivotal moment in US politics—just after the Republican National Convention in August 2024, as focus intensified on Black voters as a decisive voting bloc—and became a viral success, racking up more than 2.9 million views. Featuring Hayes’ signature skeptical and witty interview style, the video contributed to a remarkable surge in Mother Jones’ social media audience, gaining more followers in August 2024 than in the prior three years combined.
In this incisive exploration of identity, ideology, and the Black conservative movement, Hayes investigates a shift in voter alignment that has confounded pundits and pollsters alike. While mainstream political coverage often reduces Black voters to a monolithic group, this documentary complicates that narrative with firsthand perspectives. By talking to Black voters, not simply about them, Hayes explores their complex motivations, from anti-abortion views to arguments for rugged individualism. These lengthy interactions are sometimes uncomfortable but always respectful, and ultimately revelatory—highlighting Hayes’ ability to translate deep historical knowledge into pithy exchanges. Hayes teases out the appeal of a party that many see as at odds with racial justice, while simultaneously probing whether conservative politics could be reshaped if Black Republicans continue to grow in influence.
