ABSTRACT
This chapter examines sentiments by focusing on the relationship(s) between Donald J. Trump supporters, their regard for the media, and their perceptions of political participation and engagement. The Republican Party has had an adversarial relationship with "the media" for decades. Polls from the Pew Research Center show that conservative voters have embraced this anti-media perspective. The Republican Party, too, has long harbored an uneasy relationship to government. J. Aldrich maintains that the central cleavage between the two major parties in the US has been the role and size of government, with Democrats preferring more and Republicans favoring less. Classic works point to unique aspects of Republican Party culture. Consider research published prior to 2010. In comparing the cultural priorities of the Republican and Democratic Parties, Freeman viewed the commitment to smaller government, individualism, and values as serving an important "social function" facilitating "trust" for the GOP.
