Article Summary –
The article discusses the political shift of less affluent, predominantly white, communities in the industrial heartland of America, who remain loyal to Donald Trump, particularly those in swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The shift towards the Republican Party in these communities correlates with the decline of labor unions, changes in racial and religious politics, and the economic transformation of the US. The author argues that understanding the history and local characteristics of these communities could provide crucial insights for Democrats looking to regain support in these areas, particularly through supporting existing labor movements.
Political Shifts and the Labor Movement in American Heartland Communities
White, less affluent communities in American industrial heartland – notably Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – remain loyal to Donald Trump, seven years after they initially helped him secure the presidency. These communities, where residents are less likely to hold a college degree, are situated in pivotal swing states which could shape the 2024 election and future American politics.
Historically, the strength of labor activism within a community has been directly correlated with support for the Democratic Party. Labor organizing brought Democratic messages to heartland cities during the 1930s and 1940s and the decline of labor as an economic force can be linked to the surge towards Trumpism in many of these towns.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt successfully appealed to industrial workers affected by the Great Depression by positioning the Democratic Party as their political problem solver. His pitch was centred on The Wagner Act of 1935, which revitalized a labor movement that had stagnated during the 1920s. This law provided industrial workers with the right to organize and established the National Labor Relations Board to adjudicate disputes.
Unions, particularly those involved with the newly established Congress of Industrial Organizations, supported Roosevelt and endorsed the Democrats as the party for workers. This symbiotic relationship blossomed in certain Midwestern towns and these locations remained part of the New Deal coalition through the 1950s.
The Evolution of American Politics and the Decline of Unions
Political landscape began to shift in the 1960s and 1970s when race and religion started to play a more central role. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act accelerated a partisan realignment along racial lines, resulting in white voters, especially in the South, gravitating towards the GOP. In the 1970s, white Christians began rallying around contentious issues such as sex education, school prayer, opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion, and tax exemptions for Christian schools.
These changes alienated many Catholic and evangelical Democrats and established the GOP as the political home of white Christian conservatives. This shift, coupled with a decline in union membership due to an increase in outsourced supply chains and closed factories, resulted in new challenges for white, working-class voters. By the early 2000s, 79% of the original white, working-class New Deal counties had moved away from the coalition, with only 4% continuing to vote reliably Democratic.
The Enduring Influence of Labor Activism
Despite these changes, a Wisconsin town remains among the 4% of white, working-class New Deal counties that continued to vote Democrat. This town survived thanks to the continual engagement of unions in workplace and political activism. A strong network of private sector unions, supported by emerging public sector union activism, sustained the city’s labor movement despite former Governor Scott Walker’s attacks on unions in the 2010s.
This history highlights the challenges faced by Democrats in their efforts to regain support in these industrial towns. Supporting struggling labor movements is easier than reviving movements that died out decades ago. Consequently, places with remnants of an organized labor movement present the best opportunity for Democrats to win back some of these Trump counties – a crucial factor in reelecting President Biden and ensuring future success.
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