Member-only story
In the last few elections, many quiet voters made the difference. This could happen again in November.
Some people don’t say anything. They just go to the voting booth and pull the lever. Or, nowadays, make selections using a touchscreen.
These people may not talk to pollsters. Or even their spouses and friends about who they want to win. In fact, if pressed, they will speak out for whoever their friends, neighbors, relatives or even strangers prefer.
For a passionate minority of people, policies and politics really matter. But for many, many people, politics is simply rooting for your team. It’s a tradition, and a bonding, a chance to belong—and we like to belong.
Secretive Voters
In 2016, a whole lot of voters wanted Trump who wouldn’t say they wanted Trump. They wanted Trump mostly because he was a Republican, and the GOP was their team.
But they didn’t like to talk about it publicly. That’s because Trump insulted veterans, belittled women, and acted incredibly childish. Still, he was with the GOP and he seemed to hold attention through his antics. His obnoxiousness looked to many GOP voters like boldness—and a winning strategy. That may be why he won the nomination.
