A Republican Pollster on Trump's Undimmed Appeal
About this episode
Klein interviews Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson about why Donald Trump's grip on the GOP endures. She uses a comfort-food analogy: Trump is the meatloaf voters know, good and bad, and they ultimately didn't want the specials. DeSantis failed by offering 'Trump but the new formula' when voters wanted the old one, by attacking from a right flank that no longer distrusted Trump after Dobbs, and by undermining his electability pitch. Haley is seen by the base as the Bush-era past, while delegate rules favor Trump. Soltis Anderson concedes Trump may be less electable than Haley but uniquely turns out low-propensity voters and has gained with voters of color. She explains Trump's odd status as a stability candidate — voters remember the 'old Trump' of stable prices and secure borders — and locates his core hold in validation: he tells Republican voters they are good people.