Messaging is incredibly important in American religion.
Phrases like, "It's not a religion, it's a relationship" are pervasive in evangelicalism. In fact, if one attended a Southern Baptist Church this Sunday, the only time the word "religion" would be used would almost certainly have a negative connotation.
The same is true in American politics. While the data clearly indicates that the Republican Party has moved further away from the middle of the political spectrum than Democrats have, lots of chatter on social media seems to indicate the opposite.
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