The Internet Is Debating If Hank Hill Would Vote for Donald Trump

It’s an election year in the United States and while 2020 is a year that feels like it has lasted a decade between the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, murder hornets, the movement for racial justice, and more in just a few months, American voters will be casting their ballot for President among other important political seats. As we get closer to the November election, political debate in all its forms has naturally been prevalent on social media, but it’s not just real-life questions of who people plan to vote for that are dominating Twitter lately. People are also asking questions of fictional characters as well, especially everyone’s favorite animated conservative Hank Hill. That’s right, people are debating whether the King of the Hill character would vote for Donald Trump and now it’s become a major trend on the social media site.

On Twitter, Hank Hill fans have been sharing their thoughts on who they think the character would vote — or would have voted for in the 2016 election — by examining his choices on King of the Hill. As fans of the series will recall, Hank is conservative, but he was also presented as a character who wasn’t so easily placed in either a Left or Right box. The beloved animated series presented Hank Hill to be a man who was a proud Texan who was most comfortable with “traditional” values, but also a man who had a bit of a crisis of faith, as it were when he shook George W. Bush’s hand and was unimpressed, tolerated no idiots, and didn’t sit well with the idea of being thought to be racist. In a nutshell, Hank Hill was presented as man with a conscience who, at times, questioned things when his values collided with reality — a space that has fans asking if he’d be a Trump supporter.

And fans have some pretty solid explanations for their choices. Those who think Hank would definitely not be a Trump supporter point his respect and love for former Texas Governor Ann Richards, being troubled by Bush’s weak handshake, and a variety of other things including that Trump eats well-done steaks with ketchup. Those who think Hank was, at least at some point, a Trump supporter, point to the idea that Hank is pretty much the exact demographic that makes up Trump’s base, though some note that while Hank may have voted for Trump in 2016, he’s probably unlikely to do so again in 2020.

It’s a complicated question and one that’s got fans talking so much that it’s trending on social media so with that in mind, we’ve collected some of our favorite arguments on both sides of the divide so you can decide for yourself who Hank Hill would support, politically. Read on for the debate and be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

His stance on climate change

Republican

Gov. Ann Richards

Handshake

“Regular ole bro”

The Border Wall

Propane

George W. Bush’s Handshake

Mike Pence

Dale Gribble