From 2009 to October 2016, Democratic voters have shifted from a lukewarm pro-trade stance, 48-37, 11 points in favor, to a decisively pro-trade position, 56-31. The Democratic electorate is moving in a pro-trade direction, in opposition to Ellison and Sanders.
Conversely, the Republican electorate, egged on by Donald Trump, has flipped. As recently as March 2014, before anyone gave a thought to a Trump presidential bid, Pew found that Republican voters were solidly in the free trade camp, 55-36. By October 2016, Republican voters had become decisively anti-trade, 68-24.
Even though Hillary Clinton pointedly withdrew her support for the trans-Pacific Partnership in October 2015, 55 percent of her voters, according to Pew, described the TPP as a “good thing” compared to 24 percent who said it was a “bad thing.” In contrast, Pew reported that 58 percent of Trump loyalists said the TPP was a bad thing, and 17 percent looked on it favorably.
If anything, Trump’s adamant opposition to free trade agreements and his call for the adoption of protectionist tax and tariff policies, are likely to push Democratic voters who oppose Trump to shift even further in favor of trade.
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