Why Utah was impervious to Donald Trump

Here's why the Beehive State didn't want to be made great again

Donald Trump does not appeal to most of the residents of Utah.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Mike Carlson)

Utah is only the second statewide race where Donald Trump finished third. Ted Cruz dominated Tuesday's caucuses, capturing nearly 70 percent of the vote. Trump came in behind one-state-wonder John Kasich and won only 14 percent of the vote. That's far less than the 21 percent Trump had in his third-place finish in Minnesota.

Why was Utah so hostile to Trump's candidacy? It turns out that Utah profiles as one of the worst states for The Donald. Utah, while racially homogenous with a religious core that defines the state's ethos, makes plenty of room for minority religions. It has a low-friction, cohesive social order, a strong economy, and stronger social institutions. Utah's unemployment rate is 3.4 percent. It was one of the first states to feel an economic rebound from the 2008 financial crash. That rebound has been sustained and attracts new growth from within the state due to internal migration. For so many in Utah, America doesn't need to be made great again. It already is great.

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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.