- Mar 11, 2015
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This should surprise no one.
A new study has revealed that a specific group of Republicans, known as MAGA Republicans, are more likely than other groups to endorse political violence. The findings, published in PLOS One, indicate that this group, making up approximately 15% of the US adult population, showed distinct beliefs on race and democracy, differing significantly from other Republican factions and non-Republicans.
One of the survey’s most striking revelations concerns attitudes towards democracy and the use of violence. A substantial 90% of MAGA Republicans perceived a serious threat to American democracy, a perception considerably higher than that of strong Republicans (74.4%), other Republicans (61.7%), and non-Republicans (70.1%).
Furthermore, 31% of MAGA Republicans held the belief that having a strong leader is more important than maintaining a democracy, again surpassing the percentages in strong Republicans (17.8%), other Republicans (17.0%), and non-Republicans (15.2%). The endorsement of armed citizens patrolling polling places was also notably higher among MAGA Republicans (19.2%) compared to the other groups.
The survey also probed beliefs about race and the ‘great replacement’ theory. Only 6.5% of MAGA Republicans agreed strongly or very strongly that white people have societal advantages over Black people, a stark contrast to the 62.6% of non-Republicans who held this view. Additionally, over half of MAGA Republicans (51.0%) strongly or very strongly believed in the ‘great replacement’ theory, the belief that native-born white Americans are being replaced by immigrants. This belief was far less prevalent among strong Republicans (23.1%), other Republicans (14.4%), and non-Republicans (7.0%).
Another area of focus was the QAnon conspiracy theory. Here, 26.7% of MAGA Republicans strongly or very strongly believed that US institutions are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, a belief significantly less prevalent among strong Republicans (5.4%), other Republicans (6.5%), and non-Republicans (5.6%). Similarly, 29.6% of MAGA Republicans strongly or very strongly believed in the imminent arrival of a storm that would restore the rightful leaders, a view not as widely shared by other groups.
“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 wrote.
Study Finds MAGA Republicans More Likely to Support Delusional and Pro-Violence Statements
A new study has revealed that a specific group of Republicans, known as MAGA Republicans, are more likely than other groups to endorse political violence. The findings, published in PLOS One, indicate that this group, making up approximately 15% of the US adult population, showed distinct beliefs on race and democracy, differing significantly from other Republican factions and non-Republicans.
One of the survey’s most striking revelations concerns attitudes towards democracy and the use of violence. A substantial 90% of MAGA Republicans perceived a serious threat to American democracy, a perception considerably higher than that of strong Republicans (74.4%), other Republicans (61.7%), and non-Republicans (70.1%).
Furthermore, 31% of MAGA Republicans held the belief that having a strong leader is more important than maintaining a democracy, again surpassing the percentages in strong Republicans (17.8%), other Republicans (17.0%), and non-Republicans (15.2%). The endorsement of armed citizens patrolling polling places was also notably higher among MAGA Republicans (19.2%) compared to the other groups.
The survey also probed beliefs about race and the ‘great replacement’ theory. Only 6.5% of MAGA Republicans agreed strongly or very strongly that white people have societal advantages over Black people, a stark contrast to the 62.6% of non-Republicans who held this view. Additionally, over half of MAGA Republicans (51.0%) strongly or very strongly believed in the ‘great replacement’ theory, the belief that native-born white Americans are being replaced by immigrants. This belief was far less prevalent among strong Republicans (23.1%), other Republicans (14.4%), and non-Republicans (7.0%).
Another area of focus was the QAnon conspiracy theory. Here, 26.7% of MAGA Republicans strongly or very strongly believed that US institutions are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, a belief significantly less prevalent among strong Republicans (5.4%), other Republicans (6.5%), and non-Republicans (5.6%). Similarly, 29.6% of MAGA Republicans strongly or very strongly believed in the imminent arrival of a storm that would restore the rightful leaders, a view not as widely shared by other groups.
“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 wrote.
