If the bolded were true, how did we arrive at a general consensus that same-sex marriages should be accepted? [in the Western World]
Gut feeling is just another word for decision-making based on experience. So if you wanna counter Trump you have to understand the experiences that those who vote for Trump have based their support on.
One of them is the gut feeling that the rust belt's traditional middle class workers are loosing out in the race of globalization.
Another is classic Marx of Bourgeoisie versus Proletarians. Too few have too much power; it creates apathy towards the establisment (ie. Clinton), where the gut says: rather Trump than "same old".
There's the fear of losing "White America". To some it looks like racism, but underneath there is a deep concern in regards to the society "my" forefathers build in 19th and 20th century.
And so the list continues. Washington and Bruxelles are the epitome of elitist societies not grasping the concern of the 'non-educated' classes. Juncker, Merkel, the two chambers of murica etc.