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Existing studies on candidate evaluation have posited that racial cues would invoke negative attitudes toward outgroups, thus lowering support for minority candidates. However, recent studies have found that even implicit racial cues show no negative effect but actually work positively in favor of the minority candidates. In this study, I explore this puzzle by setting up a survey experiment that pairs an Asian candidate against competitors with varying racial backgrounds. Consistent with the existing evidence, I found that White voters tend to support an Asian candidate to a greater degree than a co‐ethnic, White competitor. However, departing from the previous studies that have explained this tendency as a reward for model minority, I argue that such a pattern is associated with reaffirming Whites' ingroup identity in a racial hierarchy by compensating minorities. When the apparent racial hierarchy—White versus non‐White—is replaced with a minority‐only context, Whites no longer need to favor an Asian candidate and divide their support more evenly to the two minority candidates. I further show that this tendency is moderated by the intensity of their ingroup attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do White voters evaluate minority candidates differently by the racial context of an election? This paper addresses this question by measuring the effects of racial contexts on candidate evaluation. Drawing upon two prominent theories of interracial relations – racial priming and racial triangulation theories -, I argue that White voters change their assessments on candidates depending on the racial context of an election, and the contextual effects occur only in select areas of candidate evaluation. I support this argument by setting up a unique survey experiment that places an Asian American candidate in racially varying electoral contexts and conclude two major findings: First, racial context takes effect in assessing candidates’ issue competence but not their personal traits. Second, Whites evaluate Asian candidates’ issue competence based on the racialized nature of a give issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]