Democrats are privately worried about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to shore up votes among White, working-class voters – an important demographic to securing victory in the November election. According to a new report from Politico, while members of the Democratic Party are publicly expressing confidence, behind closed doors, officials and allies fear that former President Donald Trump could shatter the Blue Wall he broke down eight years ago.
“Candidly, Trump has a solid, solid base of working-class people that have bought into his message,” Jimmy Williams, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, told Politico. “It’s movable and it’s been moving. But it’s not like some tide that’s turned,” he said.
The fresh concern comes as the Teamsters labor union chose to withhold an endorsement from Harris last week following internal polling that showed higher favorability for Trump among respondents. Democrats told Politico that Trump may garner unexpectedly high support among union members – especially men. They also say Harris must work harder to win over the White, working-class voting bloc which comprises a large percentage of the Rust Belt electorate.
One pro-Harris union official, who Politico granted anonymity, said the polling was a “red flag” for Democrats and was reminiscent of 2016, when Hillary Clinton underperformed among union households. “Hard not to have HRC flashbacks right now, to be honest, that stuff might be wrong beneath the surface,” the official said. “I hope it’s not.”
Swing-state Democrats also claimed that Harris is not criticizing Trump enough on past comments he has made regarding issues that matter to older voters, such as Social Security and Medicare. “I’m worried about her with [seniors]… most of all, I just think they don’t know her,” one anonymous Pennsylvania Democratic elected official told Politico. “She should be coming in on Medicare and Social Security like non-f—ing stop.”
Another Democratic elected official in Pennsylvania expressed similar concerns. “How much time do you hear the top of the ticket talking about that issue? Almost nothing. They just have to talk about it more.”
Trump is leading Harris in Arizona by five points in a 50%-45% spread, and he holds a similar 49%-45% lead in Georgia, according to a poll on Monday by The New York Times. Harris is closer to the former president in North Carolina, however, where the race sits at 49%-47%. The Times survey comes days after a Fox News national poll found Harris leading Trump by two points in a 50%-48% match-up.
Impact on Election
The concerns within the Democratic Party about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to secure votes from the White, working-class demographic could have a significant impact on the outcome of the upcoming election. With former President Donald Trump’s strong base among these voters, Democrats are aware of the need to address this issue effectively in order to secure victory in November.
Challenges for Harris
One of the main challenges facing Vice President Harris is the perception among White, working-class voters. Despite public expressions of confidence from Democratic officials, there is a growing sense of concern behind closed doors about Harris’ ability to connect with this crucial demographic. The decision by the Teamsters labor union to withhold an endorsement from Harris further highlights the challenges she faces in winning over union members, particularly men.
Strategies for Success
In order to overcome these challenges, Vice President Harris and the Democratic Party must work diligently to address the concerns of White, working-class voters. This includes a more targeted approach to addressing issues that matter to this demographic, such as Social Security and Medicare. Harris must also ramp up her criticism of former President Trump on these issues to differentiate herself and highlight her commitment to addressing the needs of older voters.
Overall, the concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to secure votes among White, working-class voters are a significant factor that could impact the outcome of the upcoming election. With former President Donald Trump’s strong base among this demographic, Democrats must address these challenges effectively to secure victory in November.
