Who's More The Party Of The Working Class?
Americans still believe Democrats are the party of Hispanic and Black Americans, while struggling among the working class
New polling from YouGov suggests that Democrats are gradually losing their grip on the American working class, even as racial minorities continue to see the party as best representing them.
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YouGov asked Americans whether the Democratic or Republican Party better represents eight different segments of American society.
When it comes to representing the working class, Democrats still lead Republicans (38% to 32%), though that lead is narrowing and risks being overtaken. Another 16% said there’s no difference between the two parties in representing the working class.
Similarly, 43% of respondents said union members are better represented by the Democrats, compared to just 20% for the Republicans, highlighting a divide between perceptions of the labor movement and the working class more broadly.
When asked which party better represents the middle class, the results were even closer as 33% chose Republicans, while 31% chose Democrats. An additional 19% said there’s no difference.
There is strong agreement on which party best represents the wealthy. A majority (56%) said the Republican Party best represents the rich, while only 19% said the same of the Democrats. Another 14% saw no difference between the two.
The poll also found that Democrats perform significantly better among Black and Hispanic Americans on this question than Republicans.
Among all Americans, 53% said Democrats better represent Black Americans, compared to 15% for Republicans. Among Black Americans specifically, that gap widens to 65% for Democrats and just 6% for Republicans.
On the other hand, the situation remains consistent between the general population and White Americans.
Among all Americans, only 9% said Democrats are more the party of White Americans, while 54% said Republicans are. Nearly a quarter (23%) said there’s no difference.
Among White respondents, the numbers are nearly identical: 9% said Democrats, 54% said Republicans, and 25% said there’s no difference.
Finally, among all Americans, 37% said Democrats are more the party of Hispanic Americans, while 21% said Republicans are. Another 20% saw no difference, while 22% were unsure.
Among Hispanic Americans specifically, 48% said Democrats better represent them, compared to 17% for Republicans. The share of those unsure dropped to 14%, and 21% said there’s no difference.
The YouGov poll shows Democrats still lead among racial minorities and union members, but their hold on the working and middle classes is weakening, while Republicans are gaining ground, especially as they remain widely seen as the party of the wealthy.