Why Trump Won



Among the never ending stream of pundits trying to figure out why Trump won and is still supported by many evangelicals is an article written by a young professor at Pat Robertson's Regent University. He explains why certain kinds of religious people were and remain fearful of changes coming at them.

The thing that makes the link between religion and Trump a little difficult to establish is that his Christian supporters were strongest among those claiming Christian credentials but who were not regular attendees at church. Support was not as strong among church-attending Christians.

One way support for Trump is explained is through class economics. Women and people of color have been more successful than rural white Americans. When Trump began insulting those in power those who felt left behind saw him as speaking for them.

The religious angle came into play because Christians has seen decades where their influence was rising. One President after another paid homage with "God bless America." Bush II had simple explanations about why both evolution AND intelligent design should be taught, "Students should be taught everything."

Then a President of the wrong race and "not really" a Christian was elected. Gays were getting the right to marry. The entire country would soon be lost. It was time to panic. Along came a guy who told off those, the establishment, who had allowed this to happen. While he was not "one of them" they shared a common enemy.

Trump is not the first to play the outsider card, nor will he be the last. It's an easy card to play and we will see him pushed aside in time by another outsider.

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