The Working-Class Trump Voters Who Can Still Be Won
Despite what Democrats say, working-class support for Donald Trump is complicated and nuanced. Some could never be won over to a populist economic program. Others, though, are still reachable — and there are just enough of them to win elections.
A supporter waits for Donald Trump to speak at a rally in Conroe, Texas, on January 29, 2022. (Mark Felix / AFP via Getty Images)
How has Donald Trump won the support of so many working-class people? Can Democrats ever win back their support? For the last decade now, American electoral politics has revolved around these questions. Opinions on the answers abound.
Some argue support for Trump derives from workers who have been left behind by a changing economy. Others claim it is mainly the result of working-class Americans feeling fed up with political elites who seem to ignore people like them. Others argue that the problem is far more intractable because Trump has courted the love of many workers by speaking to the hate they feel toward immigrants, minority groups, and “woke” cultural change.
The truth is, all of the above help explain working-class Trumpism to some degree — but not equally, and not for everyone. In order to effectively win some workers back to the progressive side, it is necessary to understand the nuances of support for Trump.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.