As I noted in a previous post, there are three different ideal types of reactionary: religious reactionaries, who are primarily concerned with what they view as America’s moral decline; racists; and economic reactionaries, who have lost status (largely to women) as a result of the shift to a knowledge-based economy. Where does Trump stand with each of these groups?
Given his conspicuous moral failings, Trump is viewed as being a necessary evil at best by the religious crowd. With the racists, given his passion for stopping illegal immigration, his position is ironclad. With the economic reactionaries, the situation is mixed. On the one hand, his swagger, misogyny, and enthusiasm for protecting jobs typically associated with men (e.g., miner; steelworker) play well with this group; on the other hand, his privileged background and his support of anti-worker policies do not.
Can any of these voters be peeled away from him in either a primary or a general election? An openly devout, but equally pugnacious candidate would certainly win voters in a Republican primary. A swaggering economic populist would also have a chance with white workers in either a primary or a general election. It would be rough sledding, though. Nobody has ever spent more energy pandering to reactionaries than Trump. It’s all he knows how to do.