{"id":21005,"date":"2026-07-29T14:11:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=21005"},"modified":"2026-07-29T14:11:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T09:11:32","slug":"new-road-map-for-democrats-says-working-class-voters-key-to-future-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=21005","title":{"rendered":"New road map for Democrats says working class voters key to future : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-136050\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 6502;&#10;        --source-height: 3657;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 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30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6502x3657+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"In this file photo from Nov. 4, 2025, people vote at a polling location in New York City. New Yorkers will pick a new mayor on November 4 after an unpredictable race that has drawn attention from far beyond the largest city in the United States, with President Donald Trump branding frontrunner Zohran Mamdani &quot;a communist.&quot; Breakout Democratic Party candidate Mamdani, a naturalized Muslim American who represents Queens in the state legislature, leads former governor and sex assault-accused Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing his party's primary contest to Mamdani. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz \/ AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ\/AFP via Getty Images)\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                In this file photo from Nov. 4, 2025, people vote at a polling location in New York City.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Leonardo Munoz\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Leonardo Munoz\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There&#8217;s an active debate in Democratic politics between progressives and moderates about how to build a winning coalition.<\/p>\n<p>A new report from a pair of California researchers, shared exclusively with NPR, argues that debate misses the point. The answer isn&#8217;t centrism, they write, it&#8217;s respect for where working-class voters are coming from.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s about understanding that people need a sense of personal and economic security before they will support the changes progressives are calling for,&#8221; the authors write.<\/p>\n<p>The report&#8217;s authors are, to put a label on it, college-educated coastal elites. Joan C. Williams is a law professor from San Francisco who is known for her work in diversity equity and inclusion. Jared Abbott leads the Center for Working Class Politics and has a PhD from Harvard. Their intended audience is people who share their progressive politics.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Their message is that the Democratic Party would be making a huge mistake if it keeps catering to social justice warriors and fails to understand, respect and appeal to working-class voters. &#8220;The path heavily favors the party that wins working-class voters,&#8221; the report explains.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I am tired of losing,&#8221; Williams said in an interview. &#8220;I want to build a sustained progressive coalition capable of delivering on progressive goals. And that&#8217;s not what we have now and that&#8217;s not what we&#8217;ve had for decades.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\n            <iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.documentcloud.org\/documents\/28520032-the-lefts-coalition-crisis-report\/?embed=1\" width=\"612\" height=\"792\" style=\"border: 1px solid #d8dee2; border-radius: 0.5rem; width: 50%; height: 50%; aspect-ratio: 612 \/ 792\" allow=\"fullscreen\"><\/iframe>\n   <\/p>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5905696-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP STATICHTML\" --><\/p>\n<p>Titled &#8220;The Left&#8217;s Coalition Crisis: Understanding the Massive Divide Between Working Class and College Educated Voters, and How to Bridge It,&#8221; the report argues Democrats have lost support from working-class voters of all races because the party&#8217;s base is out of touch with the priorities and values of those Americans.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Until Democrats understand the importance of really respecting, listening to and taking seriously the values of self-reliance, the values of patriotism and tradition and personal security,&#8221; Abbott said, &#8220;they&#8217;re going to have a major messaging and a major electoral problem.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Abbott and Williams define the working class as people without a four year college degree, earning from $40,000 to $100,000 a year \u2014 the middle 50% of American incomes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If progressives want to build working-class support, they need to connect with people whose top priorities are paychecks, prices and personal safety,&#8221; the report states.<\/p>\n<p>The authors offer a two-part prescription to &#8220;develop the cultural competence to bridge the diploma divide.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;First, consistently embrace a populism that decries a rigged economy where hard work fails to yield a stable middle class life,&#8221; it states.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<aside id=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" class=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" aria-label=\"recommended stories\"\/>\n<!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>Then, &#8220;rigorously avoid reinforcing right populism&#8217;s narrative that liberal college grads look down on Americans without college degrees.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The report relies on the results from the <a href=\"https:\/\/classgaps.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Class Gaps Poll<\/a>, a survey of more than 5,000 Americans conducted earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>It finds there&#8217;s a disconnect between the priorities of college-educated liberals and those of working-class voters on issues like LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access, climate change, immigration and income redistribution.<\/p>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5905696-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP STATICHTML\" --><\/p>\n<p>The greatest divide is on the issue of &#8220;resisting authoritarianism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Resisting authoritarianism is the second highest priority for liberal college grads but for workers, it&#8217;s like 19 out of 20,&#8221; said Williams.<\/p>\n<p>Defending democracy was a major theme of Vice President Kamala Harris&#8217;s losing presidential campaign in 2024. She delivered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/10\/28\/nx-s1-5169210\/kamala-harris-donald-trump-jan-6-speech\" target=\"_blank\">her closing argument<\/a> from the White House Ellipse recounting President Trump&#8217;s actions on January 6, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Another major theme of her campaign was defending abortion access. Those are two issues, according to the report, &#8220;that liberal college grads prioritize but most working-class Americans don&#8217;t.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The lesson, they argue, isn&#8217;t that working-class voters are unreachable. It&#8217;s that you can&#8217;t reach them if you&#8217;re not focused on the issues they care about the most.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If we really care about stopping authoritarianism, if we really care about defending democracy, we have to stop talking about defending democracy in the way that we&#8217;ve been doing for the last too many years,&#8221; Abbott said.<\/p>\n<p>So, what should Democrats be talking about? The economy, and not just in abstract terms like &#8220;affordability,&#8221; because wages are as important as costs, the researchers find.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ten out of 12 workers&#8217; top priorities are economics, so if you want them to vote for you, talk about economics,&#8221; Williams said.<\/p>\n<p>Abbott said Democratic candidates this midterm election year have done a relatively good job of keeping that economic focus. But how they talk about economic issues matters too.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers took issues that weren&#8217;t top priorities for working-class voters and poll-tested new messages framed around working-class values. That shift in messaging was able to move opinion.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-third-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap third\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>&#8220;If you care passionately about climate change, and I do, the answer is to tie it to something working-class folks do care about,&#8221; Williams said.<\/p>\n<p>When they framed climate initiatives around creating jobs, addressing rising energy costs, reducing pollution and countering China, they got much more support from working-class voters than asking if they support &#8220;major investments in energy efficiency and cleaner power to reduce pollution and address the climate crisis even if this raises the cost of energy a little.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But the paper warns, working-class reframing only works if it comes from a genuine place of trying to reach across the class divide or it risks being seen as elites trying to manipulate non-elites.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, Abbott says, reframing most issues didn&#8217;t drive down support from college-educated liberals.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In general, we found that there are no clear systematic tradeoffs, that what&#8217;s better messaging for the working class is typically better messaging for all voters,&#8221; Abbott said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this file photo from Nov. 4, 2025, people vote at a polling location in New York City. Leonardo Munoz\/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Leonardo Munoz\/AFP via Getty Images There&#8217;s an active debate in Democratic politics between progressives and moderates about how to build a winning coalition. A new report from a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/6501x3657+0+0\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F5c%2Fdba4ea9746749c2a785a7f3a8292%2Fgettyimages-2244506450.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}