ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the many group divisions that divide opinion in the U.S. The first question involves the role of social class in society. Modest differences exist between rich and poor in terms of economic policy. But for the first time in memory, in 2016 (among whites), the income divide in presidential voting has disappeared. When the white working class is defined as whites without a college degree, this group is now a key Republican constituency. College graduates are liberals on cultural issues, and vote increasingly Democratic. The chapter also discusses the racial divide, in terms of issues, partisanship, and voting. Religious divisions in political choice are discussed in terms of denominations and divisions within Protestantism but also in terms of religiosity. Geography is discussed in terms of regional differences and the urban–rural divide. Gender presents a further division, with men and women separating on some political issues, with a continuing gender gap in terms of voting. Each division might seem small, but when people have group characteristics with reinforcing partisan tendencies, political preferences can become quite predictable.
