Sioux County’s 82 percent for Trump matched the national white evangelical rate

Evidence

Not everyone present that day shared in the enthusiasm for Trump. Some were there out of curiosity. Others came in protest. A small group of residents, including students from the college and the Christian grade school, stood bundled against the chill, holding handmade signs proclaiming “Love Your Neighbors” and “Perfect Love Casts Out Fear.” But their numbers were dwarfed by Trump’s supporters. Their numbers were again dwarfed on November 8, 2016, when 82 percent of Sioux County voters voted for Donald Trump—a proportion remarkably close to the 81 percent of white evangelical voters who backed Trump, according to national exit polls, and proved crucial to his victory over Hillary Clinton. — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 4

Categorization

• XREF: Sioux County as a bellwether of white evangelical politics echoes Thomas Frank’s ‘What’s the Matter with Kansas’ framing of place-based political identity.
• SHARE: A former Dordt alum would enjoy the detail that Trump spoke at the auditorium used for Easter sunrise services.