Why 2016 Is Different From Other Recent Elections

David Leonhardt: “No doubt, there’s more than one answer. The surprising weakness of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker, once the front-runners, is part of it. Mr. Trump’s celebrity and his performance skills are also part of it, as is Mr. Cruz’s success in winning over some conservative donors.”

“Yet the biggest cause, in my view, is the mind-set of the Republican electorate. It is angrier and more disenchanted than it has been in years. Pockets of such anger have long existed. Disenchanted conservatives helped Mr. Santorum win the Iowa caucus four years ago, for example, and Pat Buchanan win New Hampshire in 1996. Ultimately, though, a different group of conservative voters — comfortable with the Republican establishment — won out.”