Donald Trump launched his presidential campaign with the slogan 'Make America Great Again,' positioning it against a backdrop of decline. This article examines white voters' racialized sense of disadvantage, addressing gaps in pre-primary polling data.

Data & Methods

Drawing from the National Study of Color-Blindness and Race-Consciousness dataset collected just before the 2016 primaries began, this research provides direct evidence on how whites perceived their own group's status relative to blacks.︎

Key Findings

Analysis reveals Trump was particularly popular with white voters holding specific beliefs:

* Whites who felt worse off economically than Black Americans

* Whites experiencing personal detriment due to whiteness in job prospects

* Whites perceiving more disadvantages than advantages for being white

* Whites disagreeing that systemic racism primarily benefits whites

This finding underscores the significance of racial self-perceptions among whites.︎

Why It Matters

Understanding how whites' views on race and economic opportunity influenced their political alignment during Trump's candidacy adds crucial nuance to analyses of contemporary American politics. The results highlight that white voters' sense of being left behind by societal changes played a substantial role in the primaries.