The Effects of Polarizing Elite Messaging on Nationalism, Patriotism, and Views of Immigration

This study examines the influence of nationalism and patriotic sentiment on attitudes toward immigration in the United States, during a period in which Americans and their political leaders are deeply divided over national identity. We evaluate a sample of likely voters drawn in the weeks before the 2016 US presidential election who supported Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, two candidates who espoused different ideas about national pride and the impact of immigration on American society. Our analyses show that supporters of Trump and Clinton varied substantially in their level of support for immigration, but Trump backers were similarly supportive of patriotic themes and only modestly more nationalist in orientation. Although prior research assumes national pride has uniform effects on attitudes toward immigration, our findings suggest the consequences depend on the degree to which individuals' nationalism and patriotism correspond with the views espoused by their preferred political leaders.