Mobilization and the Strategy of Populism - Theory and Evidence from the United States
Abstract
This paper proposes a mobilization theory of the adoption of populist strategies and provides evidence from US elections – the presidential elections in 2016 and the 2018 midterm elections. A populist electoral campaign attracts disillusioned voters but may de-mobilize core partisans. A populist strategy is more tempting for outsiders in districts with low trust in traditional politics (also caused by economic insecurity) and where the election is close.
Publication
Electoral Studies, Accepted
