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Working-Class and College-Educated Voters Want New Progressive Economic Policies
Report

Working-Class and College-Educated Voters Want New Progressive Economic Policies

Working-class and college-educated voters support progressive economic policies such as a higher minimum wage, stronger unions, higher taxes on the rich, greater public investment in infrastructure, and an expanded social safety net.

Building an Economy for All, Economy, Growing the Middle Class, +3 More

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Following the 2024 presidential election, commentators speculated about a seemingly wide ideological gulf: 56 percent of working-class voters cast their vote for Donald Trump, and an equal percentage of college-educated voters did the same for Kamala Harris. A new analysis, however, shows that working-class and college-educated voters are similar in their support for progressive economic policies.

A Center for American Progress analysis of data from the 2024 election and review of pre-election surveys finds that working-class voters—defined as voters without a four-year college degree—and college-educated voters want similar things: decent pay for hard work, a strong voice on the job, and for the rich to pay their fair share to support public goods. (see the Methodological appendix for a full discussion of the sources used in the analysis) Both working-class and college-educated workers overwhelmingly support unions; a higher federal minimum wage; higher taxes on the rich; greater public investment in the roads, bridges, and other infrastructure Americans use every day; and an expansion of the social safety net, especially Medicaid.

The above excerpt was originally published in Center for American Progress. Click here to read the full report.

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Authors

Aurelia Glass

Policy Analyst, Inclusive Economy

David Madland

Senior Fellow; Senior Adviser, American Worker Project

Team

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Inclusive Economy

We are focused on building an inclusive economy by expanding worker power, investing in families, and advancing a social compact that encourages sustainable and equitable growth.