Trump's surprise showings in the deep south during primaries

[jman123]

Wasn't the South supposed to be Ted Cruz's stronghold during the primaries? If so, what drove Trump's victories in the deep South during the primaries?

[UWS]

Maybe because southern evangelicals hate liars like Ted Cruz after he claiming that Ben Carson dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses.

That's why we call him Lyin' Ted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Class

Trump had appeal to evangelical, nominally evangelical and non-evangelical WWC voters in the deep South while Cruz's Evangelical base was more high end. This meant it dominated the activist base completely enough to win or compete in closed and/or Caucus states, but Trump could swamp him in Southern primaries, especially open ones.

It also helped that the earliest and likely one of the most hostile states (South Carolina) had an incredibly divided field allowing Trump to win with only getting into the 30's and was likewise open.

On the other hand he did rather well in states like TN and AL, rural GA, and areas close to the Appalachian mountains, particular those with a hollowed out feel economically (The rust belt doesn't stop at the Mason-Dixon Line hence Trump killing it in Buchanan Co, VA), large populations of white working class voters, or both. These voters have been streaming into the GOP since the 1990's thanks to Clinton's scandals, Bush's cultural conservatism and the continued shift of the Democratic Party to the left on the social, environmental and gun issues and in those states that were open, Trump could augment those with even more of the same group that remained as Democrats or Independents.

Also this:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/26/that-time-when-donald-trump-saved-a-georgia-farm/

Discovering this article the day after Christmas on AAD, is what made me realize that Trump could beat Cruz in the South.

[Mr. Morden]

Wasn't the South supposed to be Ted Cruz's stronghold during the primaries? If so, what drove Trump's victories in the deep South during the primaries?

Trump was polling strongest in the Northeast and South even before the primaries began.  See Nate Cohn's post from a year ago, explaining which types of congressional districts Trump tended to poll best in:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/31/upshot/donald-trumps-strongest-supporters-a-certain-kind-of-democrat.html

[TarHeelDem]

I think birtherism and his immigration stance were important factors.

[UWS]

I think birtherism and his immigration stance were important factors.

And Ted Cruz was born in Canada, so it might have helped Trump to win over southern birtherists.

[Mr. Smith]

Trump's rhetoric was romantic. The White South is romantic.

The rest of the GOP (besides Kasich and Graham, who were both uncharismatic anyway) took a very enlightened approach.

Simple as that really.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

The cultural Evangelicals (of whom there are many in the South) loved Trump while the Biblically literate Evangelicals did not.

[RaphaelDLG]

Trump's rhetoric was romantic. The White South is romantic.

The rest of the GOP (besides Kasich and Graham, who were both uncharismatic anyway) took a very enlightened approach.

Simple as that really.

Is New England dominated by romantic values over enlightenment ones?!?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Wasn't the South supposed to be Ted Cruz's stronghold during the primaries?

It was, until Trump entered the race.

The reason Trump ran strong in the South wasn't a surprise to me at all; I expected it due to his populist message.

[RaphaelDLG]

Wasn't the South supposed to be Ted Cruz's stronghold during the primaries?

It was, until Trump entered the race.

The reason Trump ran strong in the South wasn't a surprise to me at all; I expected it due to his populist message.

"I love the poorly educated."

[Nym90]

Maybe because southern evangelicals hate liars like Ted Cruz after he claiming that Ben Carson dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses.

That's why we call him Lyin' Ted.

Clearly this explains why they voted for Trump, who is a paragon of honesty.

Don't forget also the fact that Cruz's dad was involved in the Kennedy assassination. Kennedy won most of the South, so clearly this fact swung the South against Cruz.

[Indy Texas]

Class

Trump had appeal to evangelical, nominally evangelical and non-evangelical WWC voters in the deep South while Cruz's Evangelical base was more high end. This meant it dominated the activist base completely enough to win or compete in closed and/or Caucus states, but Trump could swamp him in Southern primaries, especially open ones.

It also helped that the earliest and likely one of the most hostile states (South Carolina) had an incredibly divided field allowing Trump to win with only getting into the 30's and was likewise open.

On the other hand he did rather well in states like TN and AL, rural GA, and areas close to the Appalachian mountains, particular those with a hollowed out feel economically (The rust belt doesn't stop at the Mason-Dixon Line hence Trump killing it in Buchanan Co, VA), large populations of white working class voters, or both. These voters have been streaming into the GOP since the 1990's thanks to Clinton's scandals, Bush's cultural conservatism and the continued shift of the Democratic Party to the left on the social, environmental and gun issues and in those states that were open, Trump could augment those with even more of the same group that remained as Democrats or Independents.

Also this:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/26/that-time-when-donald-trump-saved-a-georgia-farm/

Discovering this article the day after Christmas on AAD, is what made me realize that Trump could beat Cruz in the South.

The highbrow evangelicals voted for Rubio (then Cruz, after Rubio withdrew), the middlebrow evangelicals voted for Cruz, and the lowbrow evangelicals (many of whom were more "cultural" evangelicals than people of serious religious conviction) voted for Trump. Meanwhile, the rump Country Club faction supported Kasich.

[Young Conservative]

Class

Trump had appeal to evangelical, nominally evangelical and non-evangelical WWC voters in the deep South while Cruz's Evangelical base was more high end. This meant it dominated the activist base completely enough to win or compete in closed and/or Caucus states, but Trump could swamp him in Southern primaries, especially open ones.

It also helped that the earliest and likely one of the most hostile states (South Carolina) had an incredibly divided field allowing Trump to win with only getting into the 30's and was likewise open.

On the other hand he did rather well in states like TN and AL, rural GA, and areas close to the Appalachian mountains, particular those with a hollowed out feel economically (The rust belt doesn't stop at the Mason-Dixon Line hence Trump killing it in Buchanan Co, VA), large populations of white working class voters, or both. These voters have been streaming into the GOP since the 1990's thanks to Clinton's scandals, Bush's cultural conservatism and the continued shift of the Democratic Party to the left on the social, environmental and gun issues and in those states that were open, Trump could augment those with even more of the same group that remained as Democrats or Independents.

Also this:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/12/26/that-time-when-donald-trump-saved-a-georgia-farm/

Discovering this article the day after Christmas on AAD, is what made me realize that Trump could beat Cruz in the South.

The highbrow evangelicals voted for Rubio (then Cruz, after Rubio withdrew), the middlebrow evangelicals voted for Cruz, and the lowbrow evangelicals (many of whom were more "cultural" evangelicals than people of serious religious conviction) voted for Trump. Meanwhile, the rump Country Club faction supported Kasich.

Ok, this is very very ridiculous and these divisions are meaningless.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Maybe because southern evangelicals hate liars like Ted Cruz after he claiming that Ben Carson dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses.

That's why we call him Lyin' Ted.

Clearly this explains why they voted for Trump, who is a paragon of honesty.

Don't forget also the fact that Cruz's dad was involved in the Kennedy assassination. Kennedy won most of the South, so clearly this fact swung the South against Cruz.

Well, if religious conservatives could vote overwhelmingly for him in spite of his multiple divorces and remarriages, his pride, his vulgar and demeaning language, and after he said "I don't need God to forgive me for anything," then there's no reason why they wouldn't.  Remember that the South is the biggest stronghold of those voters.

[Ljube]

Maybe because southern evangelicals hate liars like Ted Cruz after he claiming that Ben Carson dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses.

That's why we call him Lyin' Ted.

Clearly this explains why they voted for Trump, who is a paragon of honesty.

Don't forget also the fact that Cruz's dad was involved in the Kennedy assassination. Kennedy won most of the South, so clearly this fact swung the South against Cruz.

You still don't get it. Trump is telling it like it is. No lying. No sugarcoating. No politician's empty talk. Plain and simple truth for everyone to understand.

[Nym90]

Maybe because southern evangelicals hate liars like Ted Cruz after he claiming that Ben Carson dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses.

That's why we call him Lyin' Ted.

Clearly this explains why they voted for Trump, who is a paragon of honesty.

Don't forget also the fact that Cruz's dad was involved in the Kennedy assassination. Kennedy won most of the South, so clearly this fact swung the South against Cruz.

You still don't get it. Trump is telling it like it is. No lying. No sugarcoating. No politician's empty talk. Plain and simple truth for everyone to understand.

Yes, you have learned newspeak well, and have rejected thoughtcrime. Well done. You have won the victory over yourself.