Trump’s Base Digs In Their Heels For 2020

Whoever the Democratic presidential pick in 2020 may be, they will be running against President Donald Trump and a base of voters that is all in for their candidate. David Mark looks at this phenomena in a new piece for NBC, and wonders whether Democrats will be able to drum up similar support for their candidate. Recent PRRI data showsthat 72% of Republicans and Independents who lean Republican prefer Trump as the party’s nominee in 2020. This is up from 59% who said the same in 2017. In his piece, Mark looks at the candidacies of the Democratic frontrunners and how they measure up to Trump. Mark notes that the same PRRI poll shows Democrats and Independents who lean Democrat favoring Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) over any other candidate. 

Abortion Clinic Preps for a Post Roe World

A new abortion clinic is set to open near St. Louis, which anticipates treating around 11,000 women a year. The size of the clinic is emblematic of its purpose as a regional access point. In The New York Times, Sabrina Tavernise writes of how this clinic is preparing to operate in a world where Roe v. Wade might be overturned, and women would have to travel across state lines to get an abortion. “These are conversations we’ve been having for years, but they are certainly ramped up now,” says the Very Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, interim president of the National Abortion Federation. “What are the transportation routes out of haven states? What are their capacity in terms of sheer provider hours? How well-positioned are they to receive folks from places that are likely to lose access?” These questions are posed as the U.S. Supreme Court, which currently leans conservative, will consider its first abortion legislation in years. PRRI data shows that 38% of Americans believe it is at least somewhat likely that abortion will become illegal in their lifetime. Women are more likely (43%) than men (34%) to say this.

POLITICO: Trump Seeking Evangelical Guidance on Syria

In a recent piece for POLITICO, Gabby Orr looks at whether Trump’s handling of the situation between the Kurdish and Turkish military could rankle his white evangelical supporters. Orr writes that Trump has been taking calls from prominent evangelical leaders amid worries that he could lose their support. Some leaders are telling him to reverse course and bring American troops back to the Turkey/Syria border. “This [decision] gives evangelicals pause because now they’re wondering, ‘Hmm, that was not a good move. What’s next? Does this mean he’s going to throw Israel under the bus if he threw the Kurds under the bus?’” a longtime friend of the president tells Orr. Since American troops have left the border, reports have circulated that a number of ISIS prisoners have escaped. This could pose a problem for Trump and evangelicals. PRRI data shows that 63% of white evangelical Protestants say terrorism is a major concern for them. This outpaces immigration (55%) and health care (53%).

Gillespie: Trump’s Impeachment Comments Reek of Privilege

In a recent tweet, Trump described the process surrounding his impeachment inquiry as a modern day “lynching.” This comment made headlines and sparked outrage from many, who reminded the president and his GOP allies of the horrors of a real-life lynching. PRRI Public Fellow Dr. Andra Gillespie spoke toBusiness Insider about the comment. “It was deeply offensive and it reeks of privilege,” she says. “He’s trying to imply that his opposition is a mob who’s going to break the rules to get their way.” Dr. Gillespie, who specializes in African American studies at Emory University, took great offense to Trump’s comments. What was “particularly offensive,” she says, was “the idea of a very rich, privileged white president invoking the horrors of racial terror he’s never experienced to describe a political crisis that some people would argue is of his own making.” Despite this comment, it is unlikely that Trump’s base will waver in their support. Recent PRRI data shows that two-thirds of Republicans believe that discrimination against whites has become as much of a problem as discrimination against blacks (69%).