How the Alt-Right Label Informs Political Assessments

Objective: To determine how the alt-right label informs how voters assess individuals and political candidates. Methods: We use a survey experiment with a hypothetical candidate. Along with a control, we vary the ideological label the hypothetical candidate uses, including conservative and alt-right. Results: The alt-right label leads people to view candidates as holding more right-leaning ideological and issue positions relative to no label and often—specifically on issues relating to race, gender, and norms—relative to a more explicit conservative label. Conclusion: These results shed light on how citizens come to understand and use new ideological labels and suggest that the alt-right label conveys context-specific information that differs from that connected to the conservative label.