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Romney's problem connecting with white working class Americans in key states
What’s Wrong With Pennsylvania?
By THOMAS B. EDSALL
Allentown, Pa.
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Even if there were a higher percentage of working class whites in the region, Romney would have faced an uphill struggle. A new survey of 2,501 adults, “Beyond Guns and God: Understanding the Complexities of the White Working Class in America,” published on Sept. 20 by the Public Religion Research Institute, reveals clearly that the white working class (broadly defined) cannot, at present, be described as a secure Republican constituency...The study shows that Romney’s nationwide 48-35 advantage among these voters masks crucial regional differences.
Among southern working class whites, Romney leads by 40 points, 62-22, an extraordinary gap...In the West, where Colorado and Nevada are battleground states, Romney leads by a modest 5 points, 46-41. In the Northeast, which Obama is expected to sweep, except perhaps for New Hampshire, Romney holds a 4-point advantage among working class whites, 42-38. In the Midwest, where Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin are in play, Obama actually leads among working class whites by 8 points (44-36).
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I interviewed George Taylor, a purchasing agent for Mack Truck, which remains a manufacturing presence in the state, as he shopped at a Wal-Mart near Allentown. He said Romney lives in “la-la-land. He just cares about big business. He doesn’t care about the small person. He just wants to give tax breaks to the rich and the heck with everybody else.”
Romney’s relatively poor showing among working class whites outside the South supports the argument that the Republican nominee is having a hard time connecting with some of the voters he needs to win. His problems reinforce the privately voiced fears of Republican operatives, as well as the openly voiced criticisms of the Romney campaign by primary opponents like Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.
- more -
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/whats-wrong-with-pennsylvania/
By THOMAS B. EDSALL
Allentown, Pa.
<...>
<...>
Even if there were a higher percentage of working class whites in the region, Romney would have faced an uphill struggle. A new survey of 2,501 adults, “Beyond Guns and God: Understanding the Complexities of the White Working Class in America,” published on Sept. 20 by the Public Religion Research Institute, reveals clearly that the white working class (broadly defined) cannot, at present, be described as a secure Republican constituency...The study shows that Romney’s nationwide 48-35 advantage among these voters masks crucial regional differences.
Among southern working class whites, Romney leads by 40 points, 62-22, an extraordinary gap...In the West, where Colorado and Nevada are battleground states, Romney leads by a modest 5 points, 46-41. In the Northeast, which Obama is expected to sweep, except perhaps for New Hampshire, Romney holds a 4-point advantage among working class whites, 42-38. In the Midwest, where Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin are in play, Obama actually leads among working class whites by 8 points (44-36).
<...>
I interviewed George Taylor, a purchasing agent for Mack Truck, which remains a manufacturing presence in the state, as he shopped at a Wal-Mart near Allentown. He said Romney lives in “la-la-land. He just cares about big business. He doesn’t care about the small person. He just wants to give tax breaks to the rich and the heck with everybody else.”
Romney’s relatively poor showing among working class whites outside the South supports the argument that the Republican nominee is having a hard time connecting with some of the voters he needs to win. His problems reinforce the privately voiced fears of Republican operatives, as well as the openly voiced criticisms of the Romney campaign by primary opponents like Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.
- more -
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/whats-wrong-with-pennsylvania/
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