# Who is Trump's base? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 17, 2016, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050 "2016-08-17T06:14:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/41 "2016-08-28T03:15:47Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Someone I know on another forum made the following post… > _All that being said, I don’t believe we can be saved by anything OTHER THAN chaos, because that very thing is at the heart of individual liberty, and may well be the only thing that can prevent the serfdom of the left. The great blessing of chaos is that nobody can rule it._ It’s not uncommon for the ignorant to say things like, “There’s gonna be a war, a big war: I know it.” Fearful thinking as poorly grounded as wishful thinking. To your forum acquaintance I say: "Hillary will be our next President. What exactly is the outcome you fear? Because I’ll be keeping track of that in 4 years. Your concerns about freedom are empty. I’ve heard this crap before. " ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/42 "2016-08-28T03:27:14Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > All that being said, I don’t believe we can be saved by anything OTHER THAN chaos, because that very thing is at the heart of individual liberty, and may well be the only thing that can prevent the serfdom of the left. The great blessing of chaos is that nobody can rule it. Have you seen what happens to nations in chaos? The death and injustice, the mindless destruction and the end of well, pretty much everything? No patriot wishes this kind of destruction on their own nation, and no sane person wishes it on themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/43 "2016-08-28T03:38:22Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Have you seen what happens to nations in chaos? The death and injustice, the mindless destruction and the end of well, pretty much everything? > > No patriot wishes this kind of destruction on their own nation, and no sane person wishes it on themselves. Oh, I completely agree. His sort of post scares the crap out of me. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/44 "2016-08-28T04:01:34Z")
It sort of reminds me of the Mao’s Cultural Revolution … In any case, it is antithetical to reality. A Will Durant quote is applicable here: > [@](#): > > Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty and dies with chaos. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/45 "2016-08-28T04:29:40Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > What are the demographics who love Trump most, as opposed to those holding their noses? As I see it, this involves a study of the demographics of those who say they have a favorable opinion of Trump. If more than 50% of a demographic has a favorable view of you, they are members of your base; at any rate that’s how I operationalize the question. Feel free to poke holes! > > Most recent polling suggests that [32.8%](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/trump_favorableunfavorable-5493.html) have a favorable view of Trump, while [42.2%](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/clinton_favorableunfavorable-1131.html) (including myself) have a favorable view of Clinton. > > The strongest part of the Trump base is Republicans and Republican leaners: [67% of them](http://www.gallup.com/poll/189299/presidential-election-2016-key-indicators.aspx?g_source=ELECTION_2016&g_medium=topic&g_campaign=tiles) have a favorable view of Trump, compared with 74% of Democrats for Clinton. > > Gallup’s polls from late May provide a different view. Trump had similar favorability at the time (33%), while Clinton’s was a little weaker (40%). But with an 11,600 sample size, some of the demographics could be explored. None of the groups gave over 50% support to Trump, though some came close and others could be inferred. Specifically, white males, white non-college grads, veterans and males 50+ were all in the 47-49% range. From that I impute that white dudes without a college degree are Trump’s main base. Still, I’m not seeing a blowout in any of those groups or inputations. That was a mild surprise for me. > > Hillary Clinton enjoys larger margins. Here are the groups where support for her is 47% or more: > > ```auto > > Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump by Demographic Group > % with favorable opinion > > Hillary Donald Clinton minus > Clinton Trump Trump > (pct. pts.) > Non-Hispanic black 69% 11% 58 > Nonwhite female 65% 9% 56 > Nonwhite non-college grad 61% 13% 48 > Nonwhite college grad 62% 17% 45 > Hispanic 58% 14% 44 > Domestic partnership/Living with partner > (not legally married) 57% 19% 38 > Nonwhite male 57% 19% 38 > Muslim 53% 17% 36 > Identify as LGBT 54% 18% 36 > Asian 51% 18% 33 > Jewish 56% 26% 30 > Unmarried woman 48% 20% 28 > Separated 50% 23% 27 > Postgraduate 50% 24% 26 > Less than $24,000/year 50% 25% 25 > Female, 50+ 47% 32% 15 > > ``` > > Here’s the analagous set for Trump: > > ```auto > > Male, 50+ 36% 49% -13 > Veteran household 29% 49% -20 > White non-college grad 26% 47% -21 > White male 25% 49% -24 > > ``` > > [http://www.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/191918/race-gender-biggest-differentiators-views-clinton-trump.aspx](http://www.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/191918/race-gender-biggest-differentiators-views-clinton-trump.aspx) > I think it’s fair to say that Trump rallies have greater enthusiasm than Hillary Clinton rallies. However, I find it difficult to see that effect in the favorability data. > > TL/DR: \*\*White less educated men or maybe white men over 50 make up Trump’s base. Has to be all 3,\*\*has to involve white dudes. But support for Trump in such groups is not overwhelming. As a 60-year old white man without a college degree who strongly supports Hillary, I guess I’m a bit of an outlier. Is there a demographic I can be put in that fits _would prefer to fly under tne radar so polls can’t be used effectively to counter my opposition to Trump_? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/46 "2016-08-28T04:39:39Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > [They tend to have yellowish skin and four fingers on each hand.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEux8I2wMY0) Haven’t quite figured out which state they live in, however. What is in that box above Apu’s left shoulder, with the legend “GREAT WHITE HUNTER”? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/47 "2016-08-28T05:26:20Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Have you seen what happens to nations in chaos? The death and injustice, the mindless destruction and the end of well, pretty much everything? > > No patriot wishes this kind of destruction on their own nation, and no sane person wishes it on themselves. Yeah, that’s kinda broken thinking. Usually, when the subject of “us being saved” comes up, it’s about being saved FROM chaos, not BY it. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/48 "2016-08-28T05:30:58Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Oh, I completely agree. His sort of post scares the crap out of me. If it wouldn’t compromise his anonymity too much, do you have any idea where this guy fits in the demographics of the Trump supporter profiled in the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/49 "2016-08-28T17:33:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The video specifically cites racism, and the fear it talks about is racist fear. It is the fear of the OTHER, of the people who are not like US. > > That is, at its heart, what racism is. That’s why being around diversity is such a great racism killer. > > Or, at least, that’s how I’ve always thought of it. Anger is a secondary emotion, after all. > [@Locrian](#): > > Well, you’ve got a point there. It reminds me of the Dr. Seuss story with the star on the bellies (what was that again?). > > For me, I hated the white schools, white churches, white neighborhoods by the time I hit my teens. I loved going to the city, sports, music-- diversity. I remember I met the first kid who had divorced parents-- when I was 12, for goodness sake. I live in Los Angeles County now, and I’d never go live in a place that is mainly white, even white trash. 😃 I know this is an N of 1, but I grew up in a dense suburb in the urbanized Northeast USA corridor. There was plenty of “diversity,” plenty of people who were not like me. I had several friends whose parents were divorced (not sure why this is a good thing,) and my own parents divorced around the time I graduated from college. I had lots of extended family who were religious, but my own parents weren’t, and most people seemed to reflexively hold moderate liberal views. Now, I’m a college educated professional who is a Trump supporter. I love white schools, white churches, and white neighborhoods. I also love going to the city, sports, and music, but it’s not particularly for the presence of non-whites that I love those things. Were I ever to have a family, I’d deliberately choose to live in as white an area as possible, though not white trash. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/50 "2016-08-28T17:51:56Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > I know this is an N of 1, but I grew up in a dense suburb in the urbanized Northeast USA corridor. There was plenty of “diversity,” plenty of people who were not like me. I had several friends whose parents were divorced (not sure why this is a good thing,) and my own parents divorced around the time I graduated from college. I had lots of extended family who were religious, but my own parents weren’t, and most people seemed to reflexively hold moderate liberal views. > > Now, I’m a college educated professional who is a Trump supporter. I love white schools, white churches, and white neighborhoods. I also love going to the city, sports, and music, but it’s not particularly for the presence of non-whites that I love those things. Were I ever to have a family, I’d deliberately choose to live in as white an area as possible, though not white trash. Are you a Trump supporter because you feel there will be more white areas for you to raise a family in? Do you think a Trump administration will make more areas that are as white an area as possible? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/51 "2016-08-28T18:26:27Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > … though not white trash. Speaking on behalf of trailer-trash peckerwoods everywhere, we deeply regret that we will be deprived of your company. We can only hope that somehow, some way, we will find the strength to go on. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/52 "2016-08-28T18:26:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > As a 60-year old white man without a college degree who strongly supports Hillary, I guess I’m a bit of an outlier. Is there a demographic I can be put in that fits _would prefer to fly under tne radar so polls can’t be used effectively to counter my opposition to Trump_? No you are not really an outlier. I can’t find any evidence that Trump captures more than 2/3 of any demographic. Hillary does. Trump might, but I haven’t found polling that slices the groups that finely. Go into any red state and there will be Bernie supporters. Go into any blue state and there will plenty of believers, even fundamentalists. We know this, but speaking personally it’s easy to lose sight of it. I’m guessing you weren’t entirely serious, but I wouldn’t bother playing around with the polling. Because they are used for all sorts of purposes, they are probably impossible to game. The interesting stuff tracks relationships, not shares of one demographic or another. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/53 "2016-08-28T18:37:29Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > I know this is an N of 1, but I grew up in a dense suburb in the urbanized Northeast USA corridor. There was plenty of “diversity,” plenty of people who were not like me. I had several friends whose parents were divorced (not sure why this is a good thing,) and my own parents divorced around the time I graduated from college. I had lots of extended family who were religious, but my own parents weren’t, and most people seemed to reflexively hold moderate liberal views. > > Now, I’m a college educated professional who is a Trump supporter. I love white schools, white churches, and white neighborhoods. I also love going to the city, sports, and music, but it’s not particularly for the presence of non-whites that I love those things. Were I ever to have a family, I’d deliberately choose to live in as white an area as possible, though not white trash. Read my last post. Imagine a pie chart. Some demographics might be 3/5 Trump, others might be 1/5. The idea is to use the demographics to figure something out about Trump’s appeal. But if there’s a 1/5 chance that a certain demographic is a Trump (or Hillary) supporter, you can’t really make generalizations about that demographic. If you play the game Monopoly, you know that doubles are rolled often but not a majority of the time. In fact they are rolled 1/6th of the time. You wouldn’t want to rule out such an outcome in a casual encounter. That said, your presentation seems to me to be very much in sync with Ezra Klein’s presentation of the NBER data. (Shockingly so, in my view, given the difficulty of teasing out conclusion from data.) Had you viewed that vid before making your post? ---
**Author:** ![Yersenia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e495f1/32.png) [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/54 "2016-08-28T18:46:43Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > I know this is an N of 1, but I grew up in a dense suburb in the urbanized Northeast USA corridor. There was plenty of “diversity,” plenty of people who were not like me. I had several friends whose parents were divorced (not sure why this is a good thing,) and my own parents divorced around the time I graduated from college. I had lots of extended family who were religious, but my own parents weren’t, and most people seemed to reflexively hold moderate liberal views. > > Now, I’m a college educated professional who is a Trump supporter. I love white schools, white churches, and white neighborhoods. I also love going to the city, sports, and music, but it’s not particularly for the presence of non-whites that I love those things. Were I ever to have a family, I’d deliberately choose to live in as white an area as possible, though not white trash. You sound a lot like many of my conservative friends, many of whom are just “instinctively” (spelling?) supporting trump. As I do with all my friends, I want to really think about your choice and what that says about how cast your vote… If it’s all about casting the “white culture” block vote, then just don’t do it ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/55 "2016-08-28T18:50:15Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Someone I know on another forum made the following post, and with his permission (albeit with a stipulation that he remain anonymous), I will quote it below, verbatim: > > \*"In the primary race, trump was most definately not my guy. In a race against hilary, he is. … > > I’m pretty sure that if he wins, we are going to see a level of chaos never before dreamed of in our government. > > All that being said, I don’t believe we can be saved by anything OTHER THAN chaos, because that very thing is at the heart of individual liberty, and may well be the only thing that can prevent the serfdom of the left. The great blessing of chaos is that nobody can rule it. > > Everybody with a brain knew he couldn’t possibly be where he is today, and yet here he is. Do I know what he is up to? Of course not. Whatever it is, I’m pretty sure I DO know what Hilary is up to, and I would prefer anything else to that…"\* > > I think his words, though in my opinion woefully misinformed, pretty much capture what is behind Trump’s popularity. Thanks for posting this. Thinking it over though, I don’t see this guy as a member of Trump’s base, as I define it. He is merely anti-Hillary. That part I understand. Politics have tribalized over the past 25 years: I blame the conservative media - talk radio and Fox news. (Trump apparently wants in on that action.) (Technically, rabid anti-Hillaryites are a big part of Trump’s base, but I was wondering about the other part which consists of those who actually like the idea of him being President. As opposed to, say, an establishment Republican broadly defined. You know, one with some actual political experience.) hijack: Trump will lose. The alt-Right will be contained. But breaking down tribalism will be more difficult. Democrats need to reach out to neuro-typical pro-science Republicans and independents, and encourage them to lean away from hate, ignorance and derp. Both at the ballot box and when they view political media. We need a better opposition, one grounded in science. Among other things, that means reaching out to those we disagree with. It’s going to be hard: conservative information sources that take reality seriously exist, but they are few in number. ---
**Author:** ![Yersenia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e495f1/32.png) [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/56 "2016-08-28T18:50:45Z")
Also, the more uniformly “white culture” your area is, the less likely its members to even consider not voting like the rest of their cultural block… The reason why I say “white culture” and not just “white” (probably not being PC here) is because I find many non whites that aspire influence and wealth tend to behave as white as they can be… (A fools errand of course) - that live in heavily white areas, not talking about NYC here… I’m talking wealthy Houston/San Antonio areas etc ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/57 "2016-08-28T18:52:52Z")
Da fuq is “white culture”? Outside of a really good suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/58 "2016-08-28T18:57:12Z")
> [@Yersenia\_Pestis](#): > > As I do with all my friends, I want to really think about your choice and what that says about how cast your vote… If it’s all about casting the “white culture” block vote, then just don’t do it Trump will lose. That vote will be forever. After the election, Trump will testify in an elder abuse lawsuit. In 2019 aspects of his mental fitness may come under greater scrutiny. Armed with an extensive donor list, Trump will attempt to suck his most loyal supporters into investment scams: he will enjoy partial success. Some voted for segregation and George Wallace back in 1968. They generally kept quiet about it later outside of the deep south. Was it shame? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=800386](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=800386) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/59 "2016-08-28T18:59:38Z")
Got a nickel says his kids have quietly consulted lawyers about a petition to grant them power of attorney because the old man has lost his shit, and is aiming to lose theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050/60 "2016-08-28T19:06:30Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If it wouldn’t compromise his anonymity too much, do you have any idea where this guy fits in the demographics of the Trump supporter profiled in the OP? I don’t think it compromises his anonymity to say he hits all the OP’s demographics except being a veteran. Male, white, over 50, non-college educated. Reading **Measure for Measure** ’s most recent post, I agree that I missed the intent of his OP. This fellow is so anti-Hillary, he doesn’t care that he’s also anti-Trump. I just thought his words were insightful to how a loosely-defined Trump supporter thinks. The scary thing is, this fellow’s post is one of the more sane ones from that site. Most of the Trump supporters are flat out delusional. They are also even more rabidly anti-Hillary than my anonymous poster. They attribute all sorts of untrue and/or non-provable characteristics to Trump. They would follow him over a cliff, and almost none of it is based in any reality about their candidate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-trumps-base/763050.md?page=4)