Democrats are privately concerned about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to consolidate votes among white working-class voters, a demographic important to securing victory in the November election.
While members of the Democratic Party publicly express confidence, behind closed doors, officials and allies fear that former President Donald Trump will tear down the blue wall he destroyed eight years ago, according to a new report from Politico.
“Frankly, Trump has a solid base of working-class people who have bought into his message,” Jimmy Williams, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, told Politico.
“It’s mobile and it’s moving. But it’s not like the tide has turned,” he said.
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Former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate, speaks at a rally, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The new concern comes as the Teamsters union opted not to endorse Harris last week, following an internal poll that showed Trump’s popularity was higher among respondents.
Democrats told Politico that Trump could garner surprisingly high support among union members, particularly men. They also say Harris needs to work harder to win over the white working-class voting bloc, which makes up a significant percentage of the Rust Belt electorate.
A pro-Harris union official, who Politico requested anonymity, said the poll was a “wake-up call” for Democrats and echoed the 2016 poll, when Hillary Clinton fared worse among union households.
“It’s hard not to have flashbacks to HRC right now. To be honest, it could be wrong under the surface,” the official said. “I hope it’s not.”
Democrats in key states also said Harris was not critical enough of Trump over his past comments on issues that matter to older voters, such as Social Security and Medicare.
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Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Leadership Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
“I worry about her with [seniors]…and most importantly, I don’t think they know her,” an anonymous Pennsylvania Democratic lawmaker told Politico. “She should be sitting on Medicare and Social Security like a fucking stop sign.”
Another Pennsylvania Democratic lawmaker expressed similar concerns.
“How much do you hear House leaders talk about this? Almost nothing. They just need to talk about it more,” the official said.
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According to a poll released Monday by The New York Times, Trump leads Harris by five points in Arizona (50-45%) and holds a similar lead of 49-45% in Georgia. Harris, however, is closer to the former president in North Carolina (49-47%).
The Times survey comes days after a national Fox News poll found Harris leading Trump by two points in a 50%-48% contest.
