Before asking how Donald Trump won the election, it’s necessary to ask how he even stayed close. There were numerous occasions when it seemed that he’d gone too far, and done or said something that would finish him off. The answer to that question can be found in some of the classics of early public opinion research:
1. Most people don’t pay much attention to politics (Campbell, Converse, Miller, and Stokes, The American Voter).
2. When they do, they usually confirm their prior inclinations (Berelson, Lazarsfeld, and McPhee, Voting). CONT.
David Weakliem, U. of Connecticut