Everyone knows that "white evangelicalism" is the reason we got Trump, but the question this thread presupposes is "Maybe it isn't?" Christianity Today strongly opposed Trump. Russell Moore and ERLC too. John Piper was against. Mohler opposed him the first time around.

The upper middle class set of Evas were against Trump the 1st cycle. TGC, obvs, but also a lot of Lifeway types. Many more theological or ideological folks were also against him, for various reasons (not "conservative" enough). Who did support him? Look down the class ladder.

The vast majority of Trump supporters were much more blue collar (or at least "new money"/"new power") types. Tons of Pentecostals and Word of Faith people. Duck Dynasty People. Also a TON of Roman Catholics, often of the charismatic variety.

There's Dobson, sure. He's more classic evangelical. I have my thoughts about him, but for now I'll grant him be. But take a place like Liberty. It's definitely evangelical, but its main constituency is a step down the class ladder when compared to somewhere like Wheaton.

The primary backers of Trump were the lower class of a variety of denominations. Middle class Evas came along very late &reluctantly, whereas their elite class never did. (I also never did.) This is bc "Evangelicalism" is a micro reflection of the country at large.

This also suggests that "Evangelicals" are mostly not who you think they are and a lot less unique in terms of motivations and patterns of socio-political behavior.

Also, according to Pew, Trump carried over 50% of people who self-identified as Protestant Christian but not "evangelical or born-again." There's a storyline to be written there, I would think.