Aug. 18, 2015
But beyond just understanding the potential for Trump's support, this simple analysis should tell us something larger and perhaps more profound about the American electorate. While the two parties may offer competing platforms, these platforms are often the product of what elites and active interest groups within the party want. Given the multidimensionality of public opinion, any attempt to reconcile political conflict along a single dimension is going to leave a considerable share of the public behind. But on the rare occasion that we see a candidate who can speak to that marginalized public, we shouldn't be surprised to see an enthusiastic public response.