What Trump rally clashes say about OC politics

What Trump rally clashes say about OC politics

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Protestors, Trump supporters and police gather outside a rally for Donald Trump at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa on Thursday night, April 28, 2016. ; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC

Why did things get so heated last night at the Donald Trump rally in Costa Mesa?

There probably is no one, clear-cut answer, but a lot might be explained by shifts in Orange County population and politics.

While it’s long been known as a right-leaning enclave of California, political leanings within Orange County have shifted. Now during a polarizing national election, tensions are running high.

Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Latino studies at UC Irvine, joined Take Two to discuss the current political climate in Orange County.

“We refer to Orange County as a single entity, and it is from a legal perspective, but people are much more focused on cities and I think what’s interesting now is the three largest cities in the county are majority Democrat… So the county has a characteristic, but the cities I think are a little bit different. The coastal communities still lean largely Republican, but they’re not necessarily the Trump kind of Republican.”

To hear the full interview, click the player above.