“We Should all be Christian Nationalists”: Elite Influence on Identification with Christian Nationalism

Abstract The rise of Christian Nationalism as a social and political identity has had widespread effects on American politics, yet little is known about the factors that influence individual identification with Christian Nationalism. I argue that identification with Christian Nationalism is partially shaped by the elite cues, specifically the rhetorical context within which individuals are exposed to the term. I test this theory in two preregistered vignette experiments on a sample of American Christians. Results show that elite cues significantly affect identification: negative cues notably decrease identification, especially among individuals without strong pre-existing beliefs. These findings demonstrate that elite discourse plays a powerful and enduring role in shaping public support for Christian Nationalism.