… The 2020 election took place amid a remarkable shift in attitudes about issues related to racial, ethnic, religious, and national identities. After decades of relative stasis in racial attitudes, Democrats and independents became dramatically more liberal on these issues. This leftward shift was already underway as of the 2016 election but it continued into 2020 as well, which we document using unique survey data that has tracked more than 3,300 Americans over almost 10 years. Among Republicans, there has been no clear shift.
The resulting polarization between Democrats and Republicans is not simply a generically partisan phenomenon. It is a phenomenon connected to Donald Trump himself. Partisans often develop their views in response to information from political leaders. In the case of Democrats’ racial attitudes, it meant reacting against the opposing party’s leader. Trump’s brand of identity politics — which included explicit racial appeals and the demonization of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups — helped push Democrats in the opposite direction. …
Already, trends in public opinion during the presidency of Joe Biden suggest that further polarization is underway. Just as Democrats shifted away from Trump, Republicans are now shifting away from Biden, especially on the issue of immigration. The upshot is an even greater divide: Now, perhaps more than ever, party politics in the U.S. is organized around fundamental questions about racial justice and American identity. CONTINUED
Robert Griffin, Mayesha Quasem, John Sides & Michael Tesler, Voter Study Group
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