Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
The assumption that Trump’s supporters are homogeneous is false, says Alexander Hinton, a professor of anthropology at Rutgers University in Newark. In an interview with HotNews, he explains that many people support Trump for specific reasons, such as concerns about the economy and immigration, and not because of irrational or dangerous beliefs, as some on the left believe. Four days before the US election, this question becomes even more relevant.
Polarisation of society
Hinton emphasises that the majority of society has common views on many important issues, but politicians manipulate only a small number of topics to gain votes. “Much of the divisiveness in the US is caused by populists using social media,” he notes. Thus, although the US economy is showing growth in certain sectors, most people are experiencing economic difficulties in their daily lives.
Support for Trump: the economy and immigration
Trump has changed his message on immigrants to focus on criminals, which allows him to attract more voters, in particular blacks who came to the US legally. Messages like “Trump is low, Harris is high” have become clear and effective for Republicans. Hinton emphasises that many people have a perception that the US economy is booming, but not for everyone.
Immigration and identity issues
In addition to economic issues, cultural themes related to religion and nationalism are also important in Trump’s electoral base. For example, advertising aimed at the trans community has been actively used in states such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Hinton notes that religious voters are a significant part of Trump’s support, as identity issues are important to them.
Criticism that attributes fascist or authoritarian traits to Trump misses the real reasons for his support. Trump is adept at using simple and straightforward messages that resonate with the reality of many Americans, unlike the more complex rhetoric of his rivals, such as Kamala Harris. “The assumption that all Trump voters are the same is a distortion,” Hinton concludes.
It remains to be seen how these factors will affect the outcome of the elections on 5 November.
