President Jimmy Carter was officially laid to rest, and at his funeral, all living presidents were present, with particular attention on President-elect Donald J. Trump. Kamala Harris appeared visibly unsettled by Trump's convivial conversation with Barack Obama, which further underscores the amusing yet awkward moments in their political theater. Surprisingly, this gathering reflects what many consider to be Carter’s most significant legacy: the rise of the MAGA movement. Even leftist commentators acknowledge that the implications of Carter’s presidency have inadvertently contributed to the success of Donald J. Trump.
- President Jimmy Carter’s funeral revealed surprising political connections, particularly to the rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
- Carter’s unintended contributions to the mobilization of the Christian right benefitted the Republican Party, especially during the tenure of Ronald Reagan.
- Trump’s extraordinary support among evangelicals can be traced back to the political realignment initiated during Carter’s presidency, marking a significant shift in American political dynamics.
In the last weeks of remembrances of Carter, there have been numerous articles detailing his unintended role in mobilizing the Christian right, a force that has been crucial to Republican victories since Ronald Reagan unseated Carter in 1980, culminating in Trump's sweeping popular vote win in November. Notably, Carter was once viewed as a darling among evangelical voters, winning overwhelming support in southern states during the 1976 election. He seemed to embody the ideals of a revivalist preacher, calling for a renewed sense of purpose and redemption in a post-Watergate America.
However, Carter's presidency quickly deteriorated as economic stagnation and international crises unfolded, exposing his lack of competence. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis painted a portrait of a leader overwhelmed by challenges. Evangelicals, reflecting the broader misgivings of the electorate, began to question Carter's capabilities. Yet, a pivotal misstep for Carter was his strong alignment with progressive agendas during a time when cultural conservatism was burgeoning. His support for the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion rights, coupled with appointing feminist activists like Sarah Weddington, alienated the evangelical base he had once inspired.
The backlash prompted by Carter’s policies invigorated influential conservative leaders such as Phyllis Schlafly, who spearheaded a campaign against the ERA, and Jerry Falwell, who organized a resistance to leftist activism within the administration. This animated the newly reformed Moral Majority and assisted in the coalescence of the Christian right, reshaping the political landscape. By the time of the 1980 election, Carter’s support among evangelicals plummeted from a resounding majority in 1976 to a mere 30 percent, a trend that solidified the evangelical's alignment with the Republican party, especially under Ronald Reagan.
The emergence of Trump can be viewed in this context. No Republican candidate has inspired and secured similar evangelical support as he has; Trump's hold on over 80 percent of the white evangelical vote across three elections underscores his resonance with this demographic. Furthermore, in the 2024 elections, Trump not only garnered 52 percent of the Catholic vote, but he also achieved an impressive 61 percent among white Catholics. While the woke left is reluctant to admit the connections between Carter’s failures and the consequent rise of conservative Christians, there is a growing recognition of Carter's indirect yet profound influence on the reshaping of American politics.
As the nation reflects on the legacy of the 39th president, it is not unreasonable to conclude that the MAGA movement owes some gratitude to Jimmy Carter for catalyzing this transformation in political and cultural alignment.
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