Democrats Fear Trump's Support Among White Working-Class Could Win Him the Presidential Election

Polling data over the last week shows Kamala Harris either tied with or slightly ahead of Donald Trump in major swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This can be attributed to the presidential debate between Harris and Trump. In public Democratic officials are confident that Harris is likely to win, but there are also growing concerns among some. Several strategists and Harris allies reportedly believe that Harris might have a problem connecting with White working-class voters who have a great influence on the election outcome.

Jimmy Williams, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, emphasized this point. As reported by Fox News, he said, "Candidly, Trump has a solid, solid base of working-class people that have bought into his message. It’s movable and it’s been moving. But it’s not like some tide that’s turned." Democrats hence feel that Harris needs to put in extra effort to gain the support of the voting group as they make up a significant segment of the Rust Belt electorate.

An anonymous union official supportive of Harris called the recent polls a warning sign for Democrats. They likened it to 2016 when Hillary Clinton struggled to win over union households. "Hard not to have HRC flashbacks right now, to be honest, that stuff might be wrong beneath the surface. I hope it’s not," the person said. Additionally, Democrats argue that Harris isn't criticizing Trump enough for some of his past comments. An elected official said, "I’m worried about her with [seniors]…most of all, I just think they don’t know her. She should be coming in on Medicare and Social Security like non-f---ing stop."

The 2024 presidential race could be the closest one in decades. While Harris is slightly ahead, the contest is too close to call, particularly when it comes to an Electoral College advantage, as reported by a CNN analysis. However, doubts about a Harris run aren't new. Around the time she was selected for the presidential ticket by Joe Biden, a Democratic senator had warned about Harris' performance in 2020. “She wasn’t a great candidate," he had opined.

He added, “She may not be as a political campaigner as good as Biden was in his prime." As reported by The Hill, he continued, “She’s not campaigning in a primary. She is the candidate, she’s got thousands of people working for her, and she’s got a team of the smartest people, many of whom have worked with her over the years. We need to be very clear-eyed, and it’s going to be brutally tough." Senator Bernie Sanders and his supporters also previously mentioned that Harris must make greater efforts to win over blue-collar voters in important states. They were unhappy about Biden being pushed off the ticket.