Stephan:   The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) like Gallup, and Pew provides well conducted scientifically sound research data, and here is their latest. Although the headling is about transgender bathrooms for me there are two big takeaways from this survey: First, White Christian Fundamentalists (almost all of whom are Republicans) think they are a persecuted minority -- more persecuted than Muslim or Jews. As I have pointed out before religious fundamentalism of whatever denomination always has the same four defining attributes: 1) A sense of self-righteous superiority; 2) A conviction they are being persecuted; 3) Obsessive sexual dysfunction; and, 4) An urgent need to subordinate and control anyone with a vagina. My second takeaway is: the enormous and growing disparity  between the increasing intolerance and exclusionism of the old, and the growing tolerance and inclusionism of the young. Both conclusions explain a lot. This is why the Republican Party has become an aging White racist "Christian" fundamentalist political movement manipulated by the uber-rich to the detriment of the peasant class.