A recent study has uncovered that MAGA Republicans, a specific Republican subgroup, have a higher tendency to support political violence.
More Than Just Republicans?
Published in PLOS One, the research highlights that around 15% of U.S. adults who identify with this group possess unique views on race and democracy, setting them apart from other Republicans and non-Republicans.
Rising Political Strife
The U.S. has recently experienced a rise in political strife, peaking with events like the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. This trend has raised alarms among experts about the risk of escalating political violence, which can have immediate and lasting effects on society and public health.
Political Violence Among Groups
Researchers undertook this study to delve deeper into the attitudes toward political violence among different political factions, with a particular focus on MAGA Republicans – a segment often linked with staunch supporters of ex-President Donald Trump and their refusal to accept the 2020 presidential election outcomes.
The MAGA Movement
MAGA, an acronym for “Make America Great Again,” is closely associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump and his supporters. It represents a political movement emphasizing nationalism, conservative policies, and a strong stance against globalism, often characterized by its distinct red hats and fervent rallies.
Gun Purchasing Patterns
“We do research on firearm violence and started work on political violence after noticing anomalies in gun purchasing trends, first documented here,” explained Garen J. Wintemute, who holds the Baker–Teret Chair in Violence Prevention and is a Distinguished Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
“As public health researchers, we’re interested in variation in risk and in identifying groups at high risk to help guide prevention efforts,” Wintemute added.
Race, Democracy, and Violence
The survey, conducted by Ipsos from May 13 to June 2, 2022, involved 8,620 participants from their KnowledgePanel, a large and nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Using a probability-based selection method, the survey aimed to accurately represent the U.S. populace.
It covered topics like democracy, American society, race, ethnicity, and attitudes toward non-political and political violence.
Political and Non-Political Violence
Questions explored views on violence in various contexts, including self-defense, defending democracy, and reactions to societal shifts. The study also examined beliefs related to the QAnon conspiracy and the ‘great replacement’ ideology.
Political Leanings
In this study, participants were categorized by their political leanings: MAGA Republicans, staunch Republicans, other Republicans, and non-Republicans. MAGA Republicans were specifically those who backed Donald Trump in 2020 and strongly contested the 2020 election’s legitimacy.
A Distinct Demographic Profile
Demographically, MAGA Republicans stood out from other Republican groups – more likely to be female, less likely to hold a bachelor’s or higher degree or have a household income over $150,000, painting a distinct demographic profile of this group.
Democracy Under Threat?
One key finding highlighted their views on democracy and violence: 90% of MAGA Republicans saw American democracy as seriously threatened, significantly more than other groups.
Preferring Strong Leaders
Other findings indicated that 31% prioritized a strong leader over democracy itself, a sentiment more pronounced than in other groups. Support for armed individuals monitoring polling places was also notably higher among MAGA Republicans (19.2%).
Racial Beliefs
The survey examined racial beliefs and the ‘great replacement’ theory. Only 6.5% of MAGA Republicans strongly believed in white societal advantages over Black people, compared to 62.6% of non-Republicans.
Over half of MAGA Republicans (51.0%) firmly believed in the ‘great replacement’ theory, compared to significantly lower percentages in other groups.
Conspiracy Theories
On the QAnon conspiracy, 26.7% of MAGA Republicans were convinced about satanic pedophiles running U.S. institutions, a belief not as widespread among other Republicans and non-Republicans.
Also, 29.6% of MAGA Republicans firmly believed in a coming ‘storm’ to reinstate true leaders, a less popular belief among others.
‘Racist and Delusional Beliefs’
“The study’s findings suggest that MAGA Republicans, as defined, are a distinct minority — more likely than other Republicans to endorse racist and delusional beliefs, sometimes by very wide margins,” the researchers concluded.
More Likely to Endorse Violence?
Wintemute explained to PsyPost, “As compared with other Republicans (and with non-Republicans), MAGA Republicans (defined as Republicans who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 and deny the results of that election) were much more likely to endorse racist and pro-violence statements and much more supportive of political violence.”
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