Since Donald Trump entered the race last June, everyone, including Republicans, is afraid. Since winning three of the four caucuses up to now, it seems as if Trump may actually have a real shot at being the GOP nominee for the 2016 presidential election.
In America, it is terrifying to think that candidate that even "Washington Politicians" are afraid of is leading the race. The Republican Party is doing mass amounts of work to push other candidates ahead along with Trump. We are seeing many endorsements from governors to senators endorsing Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
But why is Trump so terrifying? Trump supporters would argue that he speaks his mind without fear of consequence which is what our "politically correct" country needs. On Nevada caucus night, MSNBC reporter Chris Hayes interviewed some Trump supporters as to why they are so passionate. One woman in particular stood out above the rest. While Hayes interviewed her, she had admitted that she voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012.
Trump has had a rough record in the primaries thus far. Just in his announcement speech, Trump accused Mexico of "sending" rapists and murderers to the US. A few months ago in a rally, Trump mocked a disabled reporter. While bullying Jeb Bush on stage in debates, Trump has accused Bush of lying about the Iraq war. This is just short list of Trump's controversial actions so far. But the question still remains, why do so many American support Donald Trump?
In a series of journals published by "Scientific American," there is an attempt to lay out psychological reason as to why Trump has appeal. According to the journals, "The science shows that people who are anxious about the future tend to lean more politically conservative. They want someone that is not going to act erratically, someone you can predict." Even if the content of Trumps statements are controversial, at least he is consistent. Even so, the Cruz Campaign is attempting to tell an opposite story. On "The Howard Stern Show" in the early 2000s, Trump stated that he was for invading Iraq. Today, Trump has a differing opinion. Trump has also been known to support Planned Parenthood, despite being a conservative. In a debate on live TV, Trump said that he is for the healthcare that they provide, not abortions.
Another reason that Americans love Trump is the same reason that many Americans love Sanders. American citizens are sick of the Washington D.C. establishment. Both Trump and Sanders represent the antagonist to the establishment. As The Washington Post puts it, "From the Tea Party surge in 2010 to the present you can trace an arc of mounting impatience among voters in part of the GOP. That pent-up frustration may be finding its moment—and its voice right now, in Donald Trump."
In relation to my last point, many support Trump for economic reasons. Before the politics, Donald Trump rose to fame as a very successful business man. Most times, you do not get to his success with a lack of economic knowledge. Many voters in America see our capitalist system like a business. Who better to run the "Business of America" than Donald Trump himself?
With four primaries down, Trump still has a long way to go to the nomination in Summer. 11 states on Tuesday, March 1 will vote in primaries in Super Tuesday fashion. There is still time for Rubio or Cruz to win more states and surge ahead.
