Vice President Kamala Harris’ organized labor allies are confronting deep skepticism about inflation, old grudges over free trade and new ones over student loan forgiveness, as the vice president’s most vulnerable group: white workers. It has begun a belated effort to help class voters. and a deep blue-collar affinity for Donald J. Trump.
Working America, the political affiliate of the AFL-CIO created to reach out to non-union workers, has about 1,600 paid recruiters answering the door every day in battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. is knocking, but this is only part of the coordinated movement. It’s an effort by organized labor to exploit Trump’s advantage and bring about a Democratic victory through intensive campaigning.
“We are the difference-maker in the election,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest union federation.
But behind that bravado is realism.
For Harris, there is no need to fudge her numbers to white, working-class voters. Earlier this month, a New York Times, Siena College, and Philadelphia Inquirer poll in Pennsylvania found the vice president leading Trump 50% to 47% overall. . But among likely voters without a college degree, Trump held a 7-point lead.
Among white voters without a college degree, the gap widened to a rift, with 58% supporting Mr. Trump and 40% supporting Ms. Harris. College-educated voters, by a 57% to 41% margin, said Ms. Harris would do a better job of helping the working class than Mr. Trump. But if education is a proxy for class, working-class whites will trust Trump. As for the vice president, 41% said the vice president “will do his best,” while 56% said the vice president will provide the best support.
Service Employees International Union President April Verrett said Democrats’ hand-wringing over a slight drop in support among black men is missing the real problem.
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