Notes on Trump’s Racism and Election Denial

Trump's Election Denial and Racism

Core Argument

  • Trump's claims of voter fraud are rooted in racism and bigotry, stemming from a white majority fearing a loss of power due to demographic changes.
  • This is used to explain away electoral losses and justify efforts to maintain control.

Trump's Madison Square Garden Rally

  • The rally showcased extreme misogynistic and racist rhetoric.
  • Speakers warned about the perceived threats that non-white people pose to the country and its elections.
  • Steven Miller:
    • Claimed Trump is fighting a system that is trying to take away the voice and vote of Americans.
    • Stated, "America is for Americans and Americans only!" (a slogan also used by the KKK).
  • Tucker Carlson:
    • Warned about a "leadership class" that allegedly despises Trump supporters' values, history, culture, and customs, and seeks to replace them.
  • Donald Trump Jr.:
    • Alleged that Democrats prefer to replace Americans with reliable voters rather than catering to them.

Great Replacement Conspiracy Theory

  • These remarks echo the far-right "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory.

Evolution of the Stolen Election Narrative

  • In 2020, "urban" voters were coded as the primary perpetrators of voter fraud.
  • In 2024, immigrants and noncitizens are portrayed as the main sources of fraud.
  • Trump has blamed noncitizens for his 2016 popular vote loss and 2020 Arizona loss.

Trump's Statements

  • During a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump claimed that illegal immigrants are being encouraged to vote, despite not knowing the country or speaking English.

Prevalence of Voter Fraud Beliefs

  • Many Republican members of Congress, GOP activists, and state officials share similar beliefs about voter fraud.
  • Approximately 85% of Trump supporters are concerned about noncitizen voting.

Correlation with Racial Resentment

  • Research and polling indicate a connection between beliefs about voter fraud and racial resentment.
  • Studies by Kevin T. Morris and Ian Shapiro found that predominantly Black cities were the focus of right-wing voter fraud discourse in 2020.

Racialized Voter Fraud Accusations

  • Morris and Shapiro argue that accusations of election fraud are targeted at Black individuals and municipalities to make the claims more believable to a white audience.
  • White Americans are more susceptible to these narratives because they leverage manufactured associations between electoral malfeasance and race.
  • Electoral confidence declined the most among "racially resentful whites" after 2020.
  • Racialized talk of voter fraud reinforces a sense of superiority over nonwhite Americans.
  • This narrative allows individuals to support democracy in theory while rejecting electoral outcomes they disagree with.

Political Exploitation of White Anxiety

  • Racialized talk of voter fraud exploits white anxiety and fear of change.
  • It reinforces a political position that benefits conservative elites.

Shifting Attitudes of Trump Voters

  • Polling from Michigan State University indicates that Trump voters in Michigan are more likely to believe the country is changing too fast and undermining traditional values compared to 2016.
  • Voters who believe that accepting diverse cultures and lifestyles improves the country align in favor of Harris.
  • This divide poses a threat to a multiracial, multicultural, pluralistic society.

Threat to Democracy

  • Groups poised to lose power use narratives linking race and criminality to deny free and fair elections.
  • Trump believes that this divide is beneficial.
  • He stated that the nation belongs to his supporters and not to those he deems as "sinister and corrupt forces".