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Donald Trump transformed the Republican Party and, in the process, reset American politics. By redefining what it means to be a Republican by breaking the party establishment and turning the GOP into a populist, nationalist, and working-class coalition, Donald Trump went from an outsider running against the establishment in 2016 to the Republican Party establishment in 2024. In response, the Democratic Party has shifted toward the progressive left and is the party of educated, urban, and professional elites.
The Trump Realignment traces how this transformation unfolded and what it means for the future of American politics. One thing is clear: American politics is not returning to the pre-Trump era. Trump recognized issues that were being ignored by the Republican and Democratic establishments. He gave voice to public grievances over economic and cultural shifts, expressing the public s deep-seated resentment and anger over cultural and economic shifts. Trump did not shift public opinion so much as harness attitudes on culture, immigration, and trade that had already drifted out of step with both major parties. The issue cleavages that once divided Democrats from Republicans (an activist versus a restrained federal government) have fundamentally and irrevocably shifted toward questions of immigration and trade.
No other book captures how Donald J. Trump engaged in a hostile takeover of the Republican Party, forced the Democrats to respond, and realigned the American party system. Even after Donald Trump exits the political arena, his impact on American politics will continue to be felt. The Trump Realignment is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our transformed political landscape.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Trump Came in Like a Wrecking Ball.- Chapter 2: Can We Call It a Realignment?.- Chapter 3: How a RINO Captured the Republican Party and Transformed American Politics.- Chapter 4: The Class Traitor from Queens Degree-Holding as the Defining Cleavage.- Chapter 5: Are We Witnessing a Racial De-Alignment?.- Chapter 6: Corporate America and the GOP: How the Republican Party Fell Out of Love with Big Business.- Chapter 7: Immigration and Trade: Trump s Anti-Globalist Bread and Butter.- Chapter 8: Conclusion: What We Learn from the Trump Realignment.
About the author
Spencer Goidel is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Auburn University. He is the coauthor (with Paul Kellstedt and Matthew Lebo) of
The Post-Truth Economy
(forthcoming).
Kirby Goidel is Professor and Associate Head of Political Science at Texas A&M University. He is the author of
Nativist Nation: Populism, Grievance, Identity, and the Transformation of American Politics
(2026) and coauthor of
Democracy’s Meanings
(2022).
Summary
Donald Trump transformed the Republican Party and, in the process, reset American politics. By redefining what it means to be a Republican by breaking the party establishment and turning the GOP into a populist, nationalist, and working-class coalition, Donald Trump went from an outsider running against the establishment in 2016 to the Republican Party establishment in 2024. In response, the Democratic Party has shifted toward the progressive left and is the party of educated, urban, and professional elites.
The Trump Realignment
traces how this transformation unfolded and what it means for the future of American politics. One thing is clear: American politics is not returning to the pre-Trump era. Trump recognized issues that were being ignored by the Republican and Democratic establishments. He gave voice to public grievances over economic and cultural shifts, expressing the public’s deep-seated resentment and anger over cultural and economic shifts. Trump did not shift public opinion so much as harness attitudes on culture, immigration, and trade that had already drifted out of step with both major parties. The issue cleavages that once divided Democrats from Republicans (an activist versus a restrained federal government) have fundamentally and irrevocably shifted toward questions of immigration and trade.
No other book captures how Donald J. Trump engaged in a hostile takeover of the Republican Party, forced the Democrats to respond, and realigned the American party system. Even after Donald Trump exits the political arena, his impact on American politics will continue to be felt.
The Trump Realignment
is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our transformed political landscape.
