Everyone who follows politics knows that the core of Donald Trump’s popular support comes from white people without college degrees, who represent a huge 42% of the US population. But a major new study from Gallup shows that this key middle-American demographic has titled sharply Republican for twenty years – starting long before President Trump drew their support.

In fact, looking at the popular vote in each of this century’s elections, Trump’s 46.1% fell sharply below the 47.5% average of the five GOP nominees. How, then, did he win the White House where McCain and Romney failed? The answer is Hillary Clinton’s appalling weakness as a candidate more than Trump’s unique strength.

With Democrats lurching leftward toward reparations, Medicare for all and a Green New Deal, they seem ready to repeat their mistake by nominating a radical ideologue with scant chance of victory.