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Chapter 9 - QAnon and the Politics of 2020

from Part III - QAnon and Society

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2023

By
Joseph Uscinski  and
Adam M. Enders
Edited by
Monica K. Miller
Monica K. Miller
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
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Summary

QAnon attracted considerable attention from politicians and the press during 2020. Headlines claimed that the group had exploded across social media platforms and was becoming mainstream; these claims were supported by instances of violence and studies of online activity. However, public opinion polls tell a different story. We examine polling data from 2018–2021 to understand the size and scope of QAnon support. Only 5–8 percent of the American public supports QAnon, making it one of the least supported conspiracy theories typically polled on. Moreover, support for the QAnon movement has remained stable over time, with no indication of becoming “mainstream.” We also find that QAnon support is less the product of left-right orientations, as often argued, than anti-establishment sentiments and anti-social personality traits. We argue that politicians strategically trafficked in QAnon rhetoric to expand their support, simultaneously activating a once irrelevant dimension of public opinion.

Keywords

QAnonextremismpublic opinionconspiracy theoriespopulism
Type
Chapter
Information
The Social Science of QAnon
A New Social and Political Phenomenon
 , pp. 140 - 158
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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