This is who votes for Donald Trump

Even if Trump loses, America needs to listen to his voters

Donald Trump faces his adoring fans.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

With voters about to have their say in the Republican nominating contest, it is still possible to imagine Donald Trump fading, especially if Iowa's evangelical army comes to the polls, as they usually do. It's also still possible that Donald Trump doesn't want to be president, not really, and his stepping away from a debate is the first sign of him turning tail.

If either happens, there will be an overwhelming temptation to write off Donald Trump's candidacy as a fluke and to try and return the Republican Party to normal. Many will also want to write off the bulk of his supporters, the ones who wait in line and get turned away from overcrowded sports arenas. This temptation ought to be resisted. Not just for the Republican Party's sake, but for the country's.

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Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is the founder and editor of The Slurve, a newsletter about baseball. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Slate and The American Conservative.