There have always been those politicians who base their power (and accumulating wealth) on pandering to the ignorance and provincialism of their followers. There was a political party in the 19th century called, informally, the “Know Nothing” party which was anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant, and which merged with – you guessed it – the Republican party. The ’big tent" for the Republicans is and seems always to have been based on no belief so rabid that it could not be accommodated.
There have always been those politicians who base their power (and accumulating wealth) on pandering to the ignorance and provincialism of their followers. There was a political party in the 19th century called, informally, the “Know Nothing” party which was anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant, and which merged with – you guessed it – the Republican party. The ’big tent" for the Republicans is and seems always to have been based on no belief so rabid that it could not be accommodated.