Our Lexington columnist returns to Youngtown, Ohio, to find out how a group of local builders' mild admiration of Donald Trump turned into ironclad devotion
before the 2016 election, when the nature of Donald Trump’s appeal to his supporters was a matter of hot debate, Lexington joined a local builders’ union boss on a tour of construction sites in Youngstown, Ohio. Most of Rocco DiGennaro’s—male and almost exclusively white—“Local 125” members intended to vote Trump, despite many having only ever voted Democratic before. Your columnist wanted to know why.
“He’s done a great job, he’s got everyone back to work. I’m pretty much 100% for him,” said Kyle, a 30-year-old electrician. “He shoots his mouth off but at least that shows he’s honest,” said Jason, a pipe-fitter, who said he especially liked Mr Trump’s commitment to reducing the national debt. “He’s done more for our country than the past ten presidents put together,” said an older builder, Jeff, skimming wet concrete on a new road.
The construction workers’ erroneous takes on Mr Trump’s record offered a clue to how he has exerted such control over his party. Notwithstanding the strength of the pre-covid economy, the loyalty of Mr Trump’s voters is not—or not mostly—a response to his policies or record. Political scientists—on the left and right—long ago discovered that most voters are flexible on such matters.
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