Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Left To Right? White Evangelical Politicization, Gop Incorporation, And The Effect Of Party Affiliation On Group Opinion Change, Devon B. Shapiro

Honors Projects

While most white evangelicals in America have advocated moral, cultural, and social conservatism since the Founding, the group’s fiscal and social welfare preferences have been more volatile. Early 20^th century evangelicals tended to be socially conservative, fiscally liberal, and, to the extent that they were politicized, mostly Democratic partisans. Since that time, not only have white evangelicals abandoned the Democratic Party, but also they have largely become fiscal and social welfare conservatives. I attempt to explain that transformation. I first examine the dynamics of white evangelical politicization and GOP incorporation, providing social and historical context to the political and …