Clearly, Trump is tapping into a deep well of anger and hate in America.
Donald Trump has become a bona fide political phenomenon this election cycle. He inspires rabid partisanship — with some voters flocking to him like he’s some kind of hairy messiah, while others are running in the opposite direction faster than you can say “Bernie Sanders.”
The Republican establishment has been caught a little flat-footed as Trump scoops up primary wins. They all thought Jeb Bush was going to sail to the nomination but… um… that isn’t happening. Bush had to drop out last week. Now, the Grand Old Party is trying to figure out what to do about Trump.
The New York Times is reporting on some new polling out that might be helpful for the GOP — and future anthropologists who want to make sense of this baffling moment in history. Polling firms YouGov and Public Policy Polling, along with exit polls from last weekend's South Carolina primary, have some data about the core beliefs of Trump supporters.
The conclusion: They are really awful. Like, AWFUL.
Here are a few highlights:
•A third of Trump's voters in South Carolina support barring gays and lesbians from entering the country.
•A third of Trump backers nationally believe that Japanese internment during World War II was a good idea.
•Nationally, 31% of Trump supporters agreed with the statement that whites are a superior race.
•Nationally, 20% of Trump supporters disagreed with the freeing the slaves after the Civil War.
•74% of South Carolina GOP primary voters said they agree with barring Muslims from entering the country.
So. We now know that Trump appeals to racist xenophobes who hate Muslims and think slavery was a good thing.
THEY THINK SLAVERY WAS A GOOD THING. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?
Clearly, Trump is tapping into a deep well of anger and hate in America. The energy of negative emotions is propelling him rapidly toward a presidential nomination.
What will stop him and his merry band of bigots? That remains to be seen.
