Tali Mendelberg (@TMendelberg) profile picture

Tali Mendelberg

@TMendelberg

Politics professor at Princeton studying political behavior and inequality

Joined June 2020
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  • Followers617
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Photo by Tali Mendelberg (@TMendelberg)
The GOP’s identity crisis over Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” exposes a core tension in today’s Republican Party: a “plutopopulist” coalition where wealthy donor interests clash with the party’s increasingly non-wealthy voter base. 🧵 1/ cup.org/4cfm0Az
Plutopopulism: Wealth and Trump’s Financial Base SEAN KATES, ERIC MANNING, TALI MENDELBERG and OMAR WASOW Comparative scholarship suggests authoritarian candidates often rely on backing from the wealthy. The wealthy are also said to play an important role in American campaign finance. Studies of Donald Trump, however, found that he drew significant support from white Americans with less education and privilege. We evaluate wealthy and non-wealthy Americans’ financial support for Trump, compared to other candidates, by constructing a comprehensive dataset of property values matched to contributions and voter files. We find Trump underperformed among wealthy Republican donors while mobilizing new non-wealthy donors. Trump also diversified the donorate, especially by education. That is, Trump built an unusual coalition of wealthy and non-wealthy donors. Our results support an alternative, “plutopopulist” model of Trump’s financial base.

ALT Plutopopulism: Wealth and Trump’s Financial Base SEAN KATES, ERIC MANNING, TALI MENDELBERG and OMAR WASOW Comparative scholarship suggests authoritarian candidates often rely on backing from the wealthy. The wealthy are also said to play an important role in American campaign finance. Studies of Donald Trump, however, found that he drew significant support from white Americans with less education and privilege. We evaluate wealthy and non-wealthy Americans’ financial support for Trump, compared to other candidates, by constructing a comprehensive dataset of property values matched to contributions and voter files. We find Trump underperformed among wealthy Republican donors while mobilizing new non-wealthy donors. Trump also diversified the donorate, especially by education. That is, Trump built an unusual coalition of wealthy and non-wealthy donors. Our results support an alternative, “plutopopulist” model of Trump’s financial base.

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‘As the U.S. government slashes support to research institutions and threatens universities…European leaders hope to benefit from what they are calling an American “error” and a “gigantic miscalculation.”’ nytimes.com/2025/05/05/world… via @NYTimes
Europe Makes a Pitch to Attract Scientists Shunned by the U.S. (Published 2025)

Europe Makes a Pitch to Attract Scientists Shunned by the U.S. (Published 2025)

The continent’s leaders are hoping to benefit as the Trump administration cuts support for research and threatens universities such as Harvard and Columbia with the freezing of federal funds.

nytimes.com
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Who bankrolled Trump’s stunning political rise in 2016 and 2020? Our new study analyzes *108 million property-owning voters* and reveals a surprising answer that challenges conventional wisdom about populism. 🧵 1/ cup.org/4cfm0Az
Title: “Plutopopulism: Wealth and Trump’s Financial Base.” Authors: Sean Kates, Eric Manning, Tali Mendelberg, Omar Wasow Abstract: Comparative scholarship suggests authoritarian candidates often rely on backing from the wealthy. The wealthy are also said to play an important role in American campaign finance. Studies of Donald Trump, however, found that he drew significant support from white Americans with less education and privilege. We evaluate wealthy and non-wealthy Americans’ financial support for Trump, compared to other candidates, by constructing a comprehensive dataset of property values matched to contributions and voter files. We find Trump underperformed among wealthy Republican donors while mobilizing new non-wealthy donors. Trump also diversified the donorate, especially by education. That is, Trump built an unusual coalition of wealthy and non-wealthy donors. Our results support an alternative, “plutopopulist” model of Trump’s financial base.

ALT Title: “Plutopopulism: Wealth and Trump’s Financial Base.” Authors: Sean Kates, Eric Manning, Tali Mendelberg, Omar Wasow Abstract: Comparative scholarship suggests authoritarian candidates often rely on backing from the wealthy. The wealthy are also said to play an important role in American campaign finance. Studies of Donald Trump, however, found that he drew significant support from white Americans with less education and privilege. We evaluate wealthy and non-wealthy Americans’ financial support for Trump, compared to other candidates, by constructing a comprehensive dataset of property values matched to contributions and voter files. We find Trump underperformed among wealthy Republican donors while mobilizing new non-wealthy donors. Trump also diversified the donorate, especially by education. That is, Trump built an unusual coalition of wealthy and non-wealthy donors. Our results support an alternative, “plutopopulist” model of Trump’s financial base.

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Princeton friends, please come to our event this Thursday at 5pm!
Image from Tali Mendelberg (@TMendelberg)
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#OpenAccess from @apsrjournal - Plutopopulism: Wealth and Trump’s Financial Base - cup.org/425OdGV - SEAN KATES, ERIC MANNING, @TMendelberg & @owasow "We find Trump underperformed among wealthy Republican donors while mobilizing new non-wealthy donors" #FirstView
Banner displaying "#OpenAccess" in white text on a green background above the text "American Political Science Review" in white on a blue background.

ALT Banner displaying "#OpenAccess" in white text on a green background above the text "American Political Science Review" in white on a blue background.

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Join our distinguished panel of experts as they explore the role of data and analytics in the 2024 election campaigns! Details ⬇️ csdp.princeton.edu/events/de… @PrincetonSPIA @PUPolitics @CmColoroso @JoeLenski @WilsonWPA @TMendelberg
Poster with event details. Date: 10/23. Time: 4:30-6pm. Location: Robertson Hall, Bowl 002.

ALT Poster with event details. Date: 10/23. Time: 4:30-6pm. Location: Robertson Hall, Bowl 002.

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Replying to @PrincetonSPIA @MESA_1966 @natopa @AKendallTaylor @LuteDoug @CongBoyle @KDonfried @PinzonBueno
And on Thursday, @Edsall of @nytopinion visits for “Challenges Facing American Democracy in 2024 and Beyond.” He’ll chat with our @DebPearlstein and @Nolan_Mc. spia.princeton.edu/events/to…
Tom Edsall: Challenges Facing American Democracy in 2024 and Beyond | Princeton School of Public...

Tom Edsall: Challenges Facing American Democracy in 2024 and Beyond | Princeton School of Public...

DescriptionThomas B. Edsall writes a weekly column for the New York Times on strategic and demographic trends in American politics. He will reflect on the challenges ahead for American democracy....

spia.princeton.edu
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Join us for CSDP's Conference on Democratic Frontsliding! April 26 – April 27 Information, program, and RSVP below ⬇️ csdp.princeton.edu/events/co…
Image from Princeton | CSDP (@Princeton_CSDP)
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Challenges Facing American Democracy in 2024 and Beyond | April 25 at 4:30 | Robertson Hall 002 Information ⬇️ csdp.princeton.edu/events/to…
Image from Princeton | CSDP (@Princeton_CSDP)
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❓Is diversifying groups enough for minority views to shape decisions? @ProfKarpo, @TMendelberg, @elizabethmelder & David Ribar examine whether more racially diverse groups make decisions that better reflect the views of racial minority group members. ⬇️jop.blogs.uni-hamburg.de/is-…
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Tali Mendelberg retweeted
Chris Karpowitz (@ProfKarpo) profile picture
Chris Karpowitz@ProfKarpo24 Oct 2023
Really pleased that this work with @TMendelberg, @elizabethmelder, and David Ribar is now online @The_JOP: journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10…
The Effects of Racial Diversity in Citizen Decision-Making Bodies | The Journal of Politics: Vol...

The Effects of Racial Diversity in Citizen Decision-Making Bodies | The Journal of Politics: Vol...

Many citizen decision-making bodies, from juries to boards, have the potential to represent racial minority views because they must deliberate and decide unanimously. However, little is known about...

journals.uchicago.edu
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"Although the Moving to Opportunity experiment ameliorated children’s poverty long term ... the intervention did not increase children’s likelihood of voting later in life." — @TMendelberg writes in her latest research piece for @apsrjournal cambridge.org/core/journals/…
The Long-Term Effects of Neighborhood Disadvantage on Voting Behavior: The “Moving to Opportunity”...

The Long-Term Effects of Neighborhood Disadvantage on Voting Behavior: The “Moving to Opportunity”...

The Long-Term Effects of Neighborhood Disadvantage on Voting Behavior: The “Moving to Opportunity” Experiment - Volume 118 Issue 2

cambridge.org
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Come work with us at CSDP as our new Research Director! puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHir…
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The Center for the Study of Democratic Politics invites you to join us for this discussion, co-sponsored by the School for Public and International Affairs. If you are unable to attend in person, you may register to attend the webinar here: princeton.zoom.us/.../WN_WGF…
Image from Princeton | CSDP (@Princeton_CSDP)
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Members of Congress will debate what ails Congress and what they’re doing about it! April 3 at 4:30pm mailchi.mp/d6b422b1a581/refo…
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.@adam_m_auerbach and @tariqthachil's Migrants and Machine Politics is an in depth look into how India's urban poor seek representation and responsiveness. Readers can read a free excerpt on our website to learn more about this insightful new book. hubs.ly/Q01zx6V30 #india
Sea green background with cover of Migrants and Machine Politics by Adam Auerbach and Tariq Thacil. Cover is multicolored images of townspeople by buildings top & bottom. Title centered in pale blue

ALT Sea green background with cover of Migrants and Machine Politics by Adam Auerbach and Tariq Thacil. Cover is multicolored images of townspeople by buildings top & bottom. Title centered in pale blue

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APSA Women’s Virtual Mentoring Workshop – Spring 2023. Scholars who identify as women, non-binary, or genderqueer (< 5 years from PhD) encouraged to apply. Apply by February 12 at: tinyurl.com/9kyfhkx3Tenured women: volunteer to be a mentor! tinyurl.com/2a3k7zz7
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Status, Symbols, and Politics: A Theory of Symbolic Status Politics rsfjournal.org/content/8/6/5…
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Hiring! Assistant Director, Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (#Princeton, New Jersey) #job social.icims.com/viewjob/pt1…
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csdp.princeton.edu/events/el…
ELECTIONS 2022: WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S NEXT?

ELECTIONS 2022: WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT'S NEXT?

Join prominent journalists and scholars in a discussion of the US elections and their implications! Lisa Lerer, National Political Correspondent, New York Times Nolan McCarty, Susan Dod Brown...

csdp.princeton.edu
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