In their latest book, political historians John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira express concern over the Democratic Party’s diminishing appeal to a key voter demographic: working-class minorities. This shift marks a significant departure from the predictions in their earlier work two decades ago, which projected a growing Democratic majority driven by the support of the working class, minorities, young people, women, and educated professionals.
In “Where Have All the Democrats Gone?: The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes,” Judis and Teixeira observe a worrying trend for Democrats: the erosion of support from working- and middle-class voters, who were once the backbone of the New Deal coalition. The erosion isn’t limited to white voters; recent elections have also shown declining support from Latino and Asian working-class communities. While the Democratic Party still enjoys substantial backing from black voters, even this stronghold saw a 5% drop in support from 2016 to 2020, with further declines in 2022.
The authors attribute this shift to several factors, including the political landscape shaped by former President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party’s alignment with what is often criticized as “woke” politics. They argue that the loss of working-class voters, a significant segment of the electorate, could jeopardize the Democratic Party’s competitive edge against Republicans.
In an interview with Time magazine, Teixeira highlighted Trump’s success in exploiting the Democrats’ vulnerabilities, a strategy that continues to yield dividends for him. According to Teixeira, the Democrats’ focus on cultural issues, despite their growing realization of their waning appeal among non-white working-class voters, has created a blind spot. This preoccupation, combined with the fear of backlash from social media and college-educated liberal voters, leaves the party susceptible to continued loss of support.
The concerns raised by Judis and Teixeira are echoed by other prominent figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders. In a speech at Saint Anselm College, Sanders cautioned Democrats to prioritize economic issues to avoid defeat in upcoming elections. He noted the alarming polling trends showing reduced support among Latino communities and African American men, emphasizing the need for a strategic shift not just for the party’s success but for the nation’s future.
Recent polls, such as a Times/Siena Poll, indicate a narrowing margin for Democrats, with President Biden leading Trump by only a slim margin among non-white, non-college educated voters, underscoring the urgency of these warnings.