Donald Trump's Big Lie and the Future of the Republican Party

• Published in: Presidential studies quarterly Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 273 - 289
• Main Author: Jacobson, Gary C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Center for the Study of the Presidency 01-06-2021
• Subjects: Certification; Democracy; Invasions; Political parties; Presidential elections; Trump, Donald J; Voters
• ISSN: 0360-4918; 1741-5705
• DOI: 10.1111/psq.12716

Donald Trump’s bid to nullify Joseph Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election was a grotesque assault on American democracy that ultimately provoked an invasion of the Capitol by a right‐wing mob trying to derail certification of Biden’s victory. Although most Americans were appalled by his actions, Trump retained the support of nearly three quarters of ordinary Republicans, most subscribing to this big lie of a stolen election. This poses dilemma for Republican leaders hoping to hold Trump’s base without narrowing their party’s appeal to the broader electorate. This article investigates the parameters of their dilemma by examining how the public in general and Republican voters in particular have responded to Trump’s attempt to steal the election from Biden and what these reactions imply for the party’s future.