“Why Trump Won, and What It Means for America” will be a discussion and PowerPoint presentation by Middlebury College Professor Matt Dickinson at Ripton Community Church in Ripton village on Saturday, December 17th beginning at 2:00 PM. The talk is sponsored by the Ripton Historical Society. Dr. Dickinson summarizes his talk as follows: “Despite polls showing Hillary Clinton leading the 2016 presidential race, and pundits’ predictions that she would win, Donald Trump emerged as the surprise victor. What led to his unexpected victory? Was it racism? Economic anxiety? Did Clinton run a poor campaign? This talk will examine what political science tells us about why Trump won, and what it might mean for the country.” Dr. Dickinson previously taught at Harvard University, where he also received his Ph.D. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the presidency, Congress, presidential decision making, and presidential advisers. He has been a frequent and popular guest at local news outlets, analyzing the events leading up to the November 2016 election and its outcome. Matt is a resident of Ripton.