Observers trying to understand Donald Trump’s rise have traditionally pointed to two separate but equal drivers of the GOP presidential candidate’s popularity: economic and racial anxieties.
As David Roberts wrote in Vox at the end of last year: “Are Trump supporters driven by economic anxiety or racial resentment? Yes.”
More recent data is bringing the drivers of Trumpism into sharper focus, and what we’re seeing is striking: Racial attitudes may play a larger role in opinions toward Trump than once thought. Economic concerns, on the other hand, don’t seem to have as much of an impact on support for Trump.