Can Trump win back the educated voters?

[Ljube]

We know that Trump's biggest problem is his poor standing among the educated voters. This is plainly obvious on this forum too, where at least a third of the Pubs have become #NeverTrump and another third are reluctantly pro-Trump.

Can Trump reverse this? What can he offer to the educated voters to get them to vote for him? Lower taxes? Anything else?

Please discuss.

[Xing]

Trump would have to fundamentally change his image, and present himself as a more disciplined, issues-driven candidate. That, however, might turn away some of his current supporters.

[psychprofessor]

no, because when Trump speaks he sounds like a high school drop out. Have you seen his twitter - today he misspelled "waste" as "waist" and confused "there" and "their." his base, as he pointed out, is the uneducated.

[Dr. Arch]

Trump would have to fundamentally change his image, and present himself as a more disciplined, issues-driven candidate. That, however, might turn away some of his current supporters.

[Nyvin]

Convince the educated voters that he's intelligent and responsible....so far his campaign has shown anything but.  

[DINGO Joe]

No

[Seriously?]

Of course he can. The Republicans, at least. The alternative is Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

unlikely. educated voters are more likely to recognise why fascism is a terrible idea.

[Torie]

LOL.

[Fargobison]

If Kaine was at the top of the ticket, I would say no chance at all. But since it is Hillary I guess he could maybe get the educated Republicans but then again they are smart enough to realize the level of stupidity that frequently comes out of Trump's mouth.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Not right now

[King of Kensington]

Trump does have plurality support among college-educated white men, but he really does badly among college-educated white women.

This article gives two reasons why Trump does well among college-educated white men: resentment towards the gains of women and minorities, and the fact that having a college degree isn't the elite group it was a generation or two ago.  I would also add that bachelor's degrees in less "academic" fields such as business administration, criminal justice etc. don't have much have a liberalizing effect (business is the most common area of study by far, and it's a more common major at less prestigious institutions).

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/opinion/campaign-stops/college-men-for-trump.html?_r=0

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

unlikely. educated voters are more likely to recognise why fascism is a terrible idea.

Well, history would suggest the opposite.

[Erc]

He seems to be doubling down on alienating educated voters, so it seems unlikely.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Enough to win the election, yes.

[ProudModerate2]

It would require unusual brain surgery on all the educated voters, transforming them into ignorant zombies, thus allowing them to swallow and fall-for all the trump nonsense and bulls**t.
Outside of this .... NO.

The Trump /IS Dense ticket is a mess !

[Bismarck]

So just to be clear to those of you (most of you tbh) who have never been to red America, the average white guy ( educated or uneducated) does not give a darn that women and minorities are doing good. Why does this forum act like people who aren't liberal arts majors or minorities are incapable of making rational decisions politically? I live in a very white area and people here really don't think about race all that much, some of you seem to have this idea that people in red counties  sit around and plot to bring back the klan or something.

[Ljube]

So just to be clear to those of you (most of you tbh) who have never been to red America, the average white guy ( educated or uneducated) does not give a darn that women and minorities are doing good. Why does this forum act like people who aren't liberal arts majors or minorities are incapable of making rational decisions politically? I live in a very white area and people here really don't think about race all that much, some of you seem to have this idea that people in red counties  sit around and plot to bring back the klan or something.

Please stay on topic. We are discussing if Trump can win back the educated voters he has lost, compared to Romney and if yes, how.

[Mr. Illini]

"back"

[Virginiá]

I seriously doubt it. His temperament and overall behavior is big problem for a lot of people. That cannot be ignored and it's irrefutable that Trump is very offensive, erratic and has a very shady and offensive history. He pretty much never talks about policy specifics, either. I'm not entirely sure he can.

Between himself and his campaign, it doesn't seem possible. This is really a structural issue, and he'd be no more likely to get them back than Hillary would in terms of working class whites. Well, barring a major catastrophe like Skill and Chance said.

[Ljube]

"back"

Back.

They voted Pub before. Back in that sense.

[Bismarck]

So just to be clear to those of you (most of you tbh) who have never been to red America, the average white guy ( educated or uneducated) does not give a darn that women and minorities are doing good. Why does this forum act like people who aren't liberal arts majors or minorities are incapable of making rational decisions politically? I live in a very white area and people here really don't think about race all that much, some of you seem to have this idea that people in red counties  sit around and plot to bring back the klan or something.

Please stay on topic. We are discussing if Trump can win back the educated voters he has lost, compared to Romney and if yes, how.

Sorry. Just a response to "Trump is winning whites men with a bachelors degree because of muh racism and sexism". I think if Trump can stay on message he will be able to get some of these voters back. Clinton denied him the oppertunity he would've had if she had picked Warren or Brown to paint her as far left. The key for many of these voters is for Trump to show competence and credibility. If he can stick more to the prepared speeches they will play better with these voters than the long rambling rants.

[Ljube]

I seriously doubt it. His temperament and overall behavior is big problem for a lot of people. That cannot be ignored and it's irrefutable that Trump is very offensive, erratic and has a very shady and offensive history. He pretty much never talks about policy specifics, either. I'm not entirely sure he can.

Between himself and his campaign, it doesn't seem possible. This is really a structural issue, and he'd be no more likely to get them back than Hillary would in terms of working class whites. Well, barring a major catastrophe like Skill and Chance said.

OK, they may dislike Trump's style. But they know, it is far more likely their taxes will be lower with Trump, than with Clinton. In fact, they can be pretty much certain she will increase their taxes.

I have never met a person who likes paying bigger taxes. Have you?

But can that be enough?

[Ljube]

Sorry. Just a response to "Trump is winning whites men with a bachelors degree because of muh racism and sexism". I think if Trump can stay on message he will be able to get some of these voters back. Clinton denied him the oppettunity he would've had if she had picked Warren or Brown to paint her as far left. The key for many of these voters is for Trump to show competence and credibility. If he can stick more to the prepared speeches they will play better with these voters than the long rambling rants.

These would be the Republicans and Republican leaning independents, who are currently #NeverTrump, anti-Trump, or on the fence?

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

Can he come off as intelligent and not a grade school bully?  Can he actually stand on one side of an issue?