Two-Thirds of Republicans Believe Great Replacement Theory

Two-thirds of Republicans surveyed agreed with a core belief of the “great replacement” conspiracy theory that holds that Democrats are importing immigrants to replace “more conservative white voters,” according to a newly released survey.

Of Republicans surveyed, 68 percent said they believed that the recent shift in U.S. demographics is “not a natural change but has been motivated by progressive and liberal leaders actively trying to leverage political power by replacing more conservative white voters.” That includes 38 percent who strongly agreed with the statement, with 30 percent of Republicans saying they somewhat agreed.

The poll was conducted in April by Tulchin Research for the Southern Poverty Law Center {snip}

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The poll found that half of Republicans also had negative feelings about the fact Census projections show America won’t be majority-white in 25 years. And more than half of Republicans surveyed agreed that “the changing demographics of America pose a threat to white Americans and their culture and values.”

This poll’s numbers are higher across the board compared to a similar survey conducted by the Associated Press and NORC in December, though the specific wording of the questions likely explains much of the divergence. That poll found that nearly half of Republicans believe that “there is a group of people in this country who are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants who agree with their political view.”

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