Donald Trump success is “revenge politics”

I recently read in the UK paper The Telegraph that; '… researchers at the University of Missouri have found that revenge is a powerful motivator when you're choosing a bedfellow after a breakup.” This article, of course, was about so-called 'revenge sex.”

This topic has a huge presence on the Internet. People have intimacy with someone JUST as revenge against someone they probably really liked or loved. The behavior is basically 'There, I'll show you!”

I wondered, 'Could this revenge behavior also manifest itself in politics?”

Since I'm hanging with 'political Dawgs” in New Hampshire this week I decided to ask what they thought. Is it possible that people support certain candidates to 'punish” other politicians at whom they are angry?

Coincidentally this week as we talked New York millionaire Donald Trump had just surged to first place in the latest USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll. Trump hit a surprising 17 percent with Jeb Bush earning 14 percent and Scott Walker 8 percent.

Certainly name recognition could account for Trump's scores. But I was shocked to see that 61 percent of the people polled have an unfavorable impression of him and only 23 percent favorable.

Trump is clearly an 'anti-candidate” in so many ways. He is abrasive, violates all the political consultant rules about bragging, saying outrageous things, wins the 'Telling it Like it is” contest with Chris Christie, and talking about how fabulously rich he is. Why then is there so much and rising support for Trump?

The reason may be that so many Americans are angry with politicians and Trump is not one.

The Economist's 'Lexington” recently wrote, 'BELIEVE the polls, and Americans have decided that they live in Italy: hobbled by dishonest leaders and such endemic corruption that only fools would trust strangers.”

Add to that the literal collapse of 'Trust in Government” (and therefore politicians) that shows up in a stark Gallup Poll graphic - 'only some of the time or never” trust government reached 81 percent in the latest survey. In 2002 only 39 percent were so negative.

The Pew Research Center reports that 'Public trust in the government remains near historic lows … In a survey conducted in February 2014, 24 percent said they trust government.”

In the latest poll when Gallup asked, ”I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one - a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little” Congress lost with an astonishing 8 percent, the lowest of any institution polled. (The military had the highest score 72 percent)

People clearly are mad at politicians.

If in a relationship the two (or more) people had such low trust conditions would certainly be ripe for 'revenge.”

The Gallup Poll also reported that, 'A majority of U.S. adults, 58 percent, say a third U.S. political party is needed because the Republican and Democratic parties 'do such a poor job” representing the American people.”

There have been 'revenge” politicians in the past. Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt 1912), Strom Thurmond and Henry Wallace (1948), Ron Paul (1988, 2008), Ross Perot (1992, 1996) and Ralph Nader in 2000, were all third party candidates attracting disaffected Americans. I call them 'revenge politicians.”

So the question that came up among my New Hampshire political junkies, 'Is there a ‘revenge politician' in 2015?”

You've already guessed our conclusion. It's Donald Trump.

Even though people actually don't think Trump can be president they like the fact that he's creating a huge problem for the 'professional” politicians. Trump has also hinted that he might run as an Independent, which is the ultimate 'revenge” on established politicians. As you know a serious and rich third party candidate can change the outcome of a presidential election. (See Nader and Perot)

So as you watch the 2016 caucuses and primaries ask yourself, 'Do I see 'revenge politics” going on out there?”

For discussion of this and other 2016 election topics join my free, Internet Iowa caucuses course starting Sept 1.

' Steffen Schmidt is professor of political science at Iowa State University. Comments: Steffenschmidt2005@gmail.com