Trump Woos Working-Class Voters with Blue-Collar Appeal, Harris Faces Uphill Battle
Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania — With Election Day around the corner, former President Donald Trump is doubling down on his appeal to working-class Americans, trading his trademark suit for an apron during a McDonald’s photo op — and serving up more than just fries.
Across the street from the closed restaurant, hundreds gathered to catch a glimpse as Trump handed meals to pre-screened customers, camera shutters snapping all the while. “Now I’ve worked here 15 minutes more than Kamala,” he quipped, referencing Vice President Kamala Harris’s own stint at McDonald’s in her youth.
The moment was more than a publicity stunt. It was Trump’s latest attempt to solidify support among a vital segment of the electorate: low-income and working-class voters, a bloc that continues to drift from its traditional Democratic roots.
According to the Pew Research Center, the proportion of Americans classified as low-income has grown from 27 percent in 1971 to 30 percent in 2023. While both presidential contenders are pitching themselves as champions of the working class, Trump maintains a clear edge in public perception. In a 2023 poll by the Progressive Policy Institute, 44 percent of working-class respondents named Trump as the president who had done the most for working families over the last three decades — just 12 percent chose Biden.
“It’s deeply ironic,” said Bertrall Ross, a University of Virginia law professor. “Trump’s lifestyle has little to do with the struggles of low-income Americans, yet he’s positioned himself as their voice.”
Despite his billionaire status and history of opposing wage increases, Trump has managed to cast himself as a blue-collar ally. During a recent Pennsylvania rally, he said, “I know a lot about overtime. I hated to give overtime. I shouldn’t say this. But I’d get other people in. I wouldn’t pay.”
Still, the populist messaging seems to resonate. At a Bronx barbershop in October, he told workers, “You guys are the same as me. It’s the same stuff. We were born the same way.”
Harris, meanwhile, has faced challenges connecting with working-class voters, despite highlighting her middle-class upbringing and support for policies like child tax credits and housing assistance. Her campaign has struggled to retain traditional Democratic constituencies: In September, the Teamsters union — a major labor force backer — declined to endorse her, breaking from precedent.
Jared Abbott, director of the Center for Working Class Politics, said the Democratic Party’s embrace of globalization and free-market policies has alienated blue-collar voters in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
“They’ve kept a social safety net, sure,” said Abbott, “but they’ve also pushed policies that have devastated working communities.”
Trump has capitalized on that frustration, stoking resentment over job losses and economic stagnation. His false claims about widespread voter fraud and a “rigged” system have also found fertile ground among voters who feel overlooked.
Adding to Harris’s struggle is the perception of elitism. Despite her roots in Oakland, California, her current residence in affluent Brentwood and a net worth in the millions have created distance between her and voters who might benefit from her policies.
“She’s part of the national elite now,” Ross explained. “That creates a credibility gap with low-income Americans.”
While Harris has proposed middle-class-friendly policies — including expanded Medicare for caregivers and tax breaks for families — skepticism lingers. “People have heard these promises before,” Ross said. “And they haven’t always seen the results.”
Economic concerns remain top of mind for many voters. Grocery prices, while stabilizing from pandemic-era inflation, are still rising, creating a powerful wedge issue. Trump blames Biden and Harris; Harris points to corporate price gouging and pledges reform.
Both candidates have also addressed credit card and loan costs, with Trump proposing caps and deductions, while Harris pushes for expanded support for caregivers and renters.
Immigration remains another dividing line. Trump’s familiar rhetoric linking undocumented immigrants to job loss is gaining traction, especially among non-college-educated voters. His remarks have targeted not just immigrants but other communities too, including Black and Latino workers.
Ross noted that Trump is successfully exploiting class divisions within minority groups. “He’s drawing support from segments of the Black and Latino communities at levels we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Recent polls confirm the shift. A Reuters/Ipsos survey shows Trump nearly tying Harris among Hispanic men, while a New York Times/Siena poll found Trump attracting 20 percent of Black male voters — up from past cycles.
Still, the race remains a dead heat.
Abbott believes Harris’s focus on Trump as a “threat to democracy” may not land with working-class voters in swing states. “He can absolutely win,” Abbott warned. “Harris needs to rethink her messaging if she hopes to stem the tide in post-industrial battlegrounds like Pennsylvania and Michigan.”
