A recent POLITICO poll found that neither Republicans nor Democrats have closed the sale with working-class voters heading into November. This critical voting block helped propel Donald Trump to the White House in both 2016 and 2024, but Republican and Democratic candidates for the House and Senate must do more if they want to win over these voters in 2026.
By The Numbers:
Neither party has a lock on these voters. Only 38% of self-described working-class voters say Democrats best represent them, while 32% say Republicans.
Fifty-five percent of Americans say politicians promise to help the working class “to win votes,” including 57% of Trump 2024 voters, 57% of 2024 Kamala Harris voters, and 59% of self-described working-class voters. Only 27% of Americans believe politicians make promises to the working class because they “genuinely want to help,” including 32% of Trump voters, 29% of Harris voters, and 25% of self-described working-class voters.
When asked which type of candidates they expect to best represent their interests, 21% of self-described working-class voters say progressive Democrats, 18% say moderate Republicans, 16% say moderate Democrats, 13% say MAGA Republicans, 8% say all of them equally, and 15% say they don’t know.
The Bottom Line: Trump helped Republicans win the working class over the last few election cycles. Democrats are still grappling with how they lost touch with these voters and how to win them back. That said, neither party has a clear advantage as the midterm elections approach. Winning over these voters could be the difference between a win and a loss, especially in states like Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, and Texas.
