Donald Trump and the Religious Right

According to a preliminary Pew Research Center analysis of the 2016 election, 81% of white, evangelical Christian voters cast their ballot for Donald Trump. Trump won an overwhelming majority among Protestant, white Catholic, and Mormon voters; meanwhile, Hillary Clinton won big with Jewish and Hispanic Catholic voters, as well as with the religiously unaffiliated and those of other religions. These statistics show a startling divide between different faiths in America.

The increasing political divide between religions in America is not a new phenomenon; it has been going on for several election cycles. What is so different about this election is the startling contrast of Trump against the values the religious right claims to promote. Trump’s character has been called into question all throughout the election, and many predicted that his behavior would ultimately distance these voters. From his many derogatory comments towards women, to his changing stance on abortion, to even his many divorces, Trump seemed to be an unlikely candidate for the highly religious. Somehow, however, these faults were overlooked and the group that had brought many Republican candidates to victory helped carry Donald Trump to the White House.

The increased ideological polarization of America has been a hot topic for the past several years, and this past election has epitomized the division of Americans. Trump is the kind of person Protestants, Catholics, and Mormons should have rejected; instead, they voted for him based on his promise to enact changes pertaining to social issues they are passionate about. Trump claimed to be against the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights, anti-abortion, and in favor of protecting “religious freedom;” his running mate, Mike Pence, helped to emphasize this platform. Trump’s consistently changing platform on these issues over the years should have hurt him among the religious right, yet they did not. As a result of political polarization, very little about a candidate is able to dissuade voters from their ideology.

When even a man like Trump is still able to gain the support of the religious right, there seems to be little hope for a polarized America. Ideology is coming before all else, no matter what other values it conflicts with. Trump has been a divisive figure in American politics, and this election has simply drawn deeper and deeper lines between Americans. Over the next four years, America will need to do some serious reflection and thought. What brought us to this point? How can we move forward? What needs to be done to break down the walls that Trump has built between people, and how can we learn from our mistakes? These divisions will not be broken down overnight, and ignoring them will only make the situation worse. If we wish to continue as a country, we must give long, hard thought as to what brought us here.