Democrats need to employ more populist rhetoric, run candidates perceived as non-elite, and steer away from progressive rhetoric like “abolish ICE” if they want to capture more working-class voters in future elections, according to new data shared first with Semafor.
Researchers at the Center for Working-Class Politics talked to 40,000 adults from April to June to determine how Democrats can win more working-class voters without compromising other support.
The strategy should also include leading with “working-class economics” and explicitly prioritizing members of the working class, the research found. Working-class voters moved away from Democrats if the candidates endorsed defunding police (by 5.7 points), letting transgender girls play girls sports (by 5.6 points), or gun control (4 points).
These voters were interested in economic populism, but a candidate’s background couldn’t overwhelm cultural concerns: On those, said Jared Abbott, the center’s director, “it’s better for you to say something that actually connects with those voters and that you agree with than to say nothing.”