Why Democrats Keep Losing Working-Class Voters

Mike talks with Joan C. Williams and Jared Abbott, authors of The Left’s Coalition Crisis, about why Democrats have struggled with working-class voters and what they can do about it. Williams and Abbott argue that the familiar progressive-versus-moderate debate misses the point: successful candidates need “class competence”—an understanding of working-class values around hard work, security, family, and respect. They discuss striking survey findings on affordability, immigration, crime, abortion, childcare, expertise, and defending democracy; why anti-corruption may resonate more than warnings about authoritarianism; how progressive policies can gain support when framed around everyday concerns; and whether Democratic donors and activists are capable of building the cross-class coalition the party needs.

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