The voting bloc once known as the "Reagan Democrats" is now mostly known as "Trump Republicans." Blue-collar, working-class Americans--often rural, mostly union members--have been steadily fleeing the Democrat Party for the GOP for decades. And now, Bidenomics may be the final nail in the coffin of support from this one-time loyal base of Democrats. A recent report shows Donald Trump leading Joe Biden in donations from those in blue-collar professions, such as truckers, farmers, mechanics and construction workers.
The trend of working class voters from Democrat to Republican has accelerated under Trump, but there are many reasons behind it. "Government overregulation is one thing you've heard many in middle America complain about, with regulation of their businesses or the small businesses they work for," says Jacquie Baly, political science professor at the University of Houston-Downtown. "So you've seen that general shift towards the Republican Party, where you have less regulation and policies more embracing of (middle class) jobs."
As inflation continues to squeeze the middle class, the Biden administration has tried to win back these voters by blaming greedy corporations or 'shrinkflation'...but polls show voters aren't buying that and instead blame government policies. "Many in middle America feel there's been inaction on cheap imports, which has undercut factory jobs in the U.S.," says Baly. "And they see it's cheaper to build something on the other side of the world and ship it to the U.S., and they feel something is wrong with that."
"So as much as (Biden) tries to blame other factors, blue collar workers are going to work every day, and they're seeing what's happening to their industry."
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