Close
Current temperature in Boston - 62 °
BECOME A MEMBER
Get access to a personalized news feed, our newsletter and exclusive discounts on everything from shows to local restaurants, All for free.
Already a member? Sign in.
The Bay State Banner
BACK TO TOP
The Bay State Banner
POST AN AD SIGN IN

Trending Articles

Civic leaders say Wu ignoring community input

Mass. hospitals first to reach health equity standards

Banner Art Gallery roundtable hosted at MFA ‘City Talks’ draws standing room only crowd

READ PRINT EDITION

A troubling Trump victory in the primary

Melvin B. Miller
A troubling Trump victory in the primary
“I’m terrified of the closet Trump supporters that might come out on Election Day.” (Photo: Dan Drew)

The presidential election campaign will accelerate after Labor Day. Voting will then be only a short time away on Tuesday, Nov. 8, but many citizens will take advantage of early voting. It is estimated that 32 percent of voters cast their ballots before Election Day in 2012. However, even at this late date there is an unresolved question as to what enabled Donald Trump to top the Republican primary ballot in Massachusetts last March 1.

Trump tallied a surprisingly robust victory in the state’s primary. With John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz competing, Trump won with an astonishing 49.3 percent of the vote. That was his greatest margin of victory up to that time. One week later he won less of a majority with 47.3 percent of the votes against the same candidates in Mississippi. That Trump could do so well in Massachusetts, a primarily blue state, should induce Hillary Clinton supporters not to take victory for granted despite the encouraging current polling results.

So how did Trump’s Massachusetts victory happen? According to many analysts, Trump’s constituents are primarily low-income, poorly educated whites. That hardly describes Massachusetts residents. While the national income disparity also affects Massachusetts residents, unemployment in the state was only 4.2 percent as of July 21. That is less than the national rate. While Trump has support from whites with no college degree, 38 percent of Massachusetts residents from 25 years of age or older attained bachelor’s degrees in 2000. That is higher than the national average of 24.4 percent back then.

Crowds appearing at rallies for Trump have demonstrated some racial animosity. While race problems still exist in Massachusetts, this state has been in the forefront of social change. This is the first state in the nation to elect a black U.S. senator. The late Edward W. Brooke was elected to the Senate in 1962 and was re-elected to a second term in 1968. Also, Massachusetts is only the second state to elect a black governor. Deval Patrick became governor in 2006 and was re-elected four years later. These elections occurred despite a black state population of only 8.1 percent.

It appears that Trump brings out the worst in people and brings the worst people out. It is time to organize forces so that thoughtful people will not be surprised on Nov. 8.