I think you've got to go back further than the current election to understand the MAGA movement. At least to the 2016 election cycle, and perhaps earlier. And I'm not entirely sure I understand it, either.

But at a gut level, its likely a combination of several things mentioned up thread. Economics in rural areas. The rise of social media. Some traditional news outlets losing viewers/readers and willing to trade journalistic ethics for more viewers. Which itself might be rooted in the switch from more local news outlets to large corporate monoliths focused on profits rather than seeing news as a public service. Lowering of education results. Shifting of jobs from manufacturing to lower paid services. Racism and sexism. Political mistakes by candidates. Probably a dozen more things I'm not thinking of quickly.

So I agree that historians will find reasons for the rise of the MAGA movement, but it's going to be a complex combination of reasons, not something as simple as stupidity.

--Peter