A supporter of Donald Trump in Clearwater, Florida, U.S., November 3, 2024. REUTERS/Octavio Jones
Although poll after poll continues to show President Donald Trump's approval tanking with a wide range of voters — from Latinos to independents — he still enjoys plenty of support among white working-class voters, especially in red states and rural areas. According to Salon's Heather Digby Parton, however, Trump is losing some support among that voting bloc — which is the last thing he needs in the 2026 midterms.
"When people want to believe in something badly enough," Parton explains in Salon, "they disconnect their b–– detectors to block out the dissonance. MAGA has been that kind of cult from the beginning, providing adherents with the genuine warmth of connectedness, acceptance and downright fun. But despite Trump's big fight-night birthday party and his upcoming Fourth of July celebration on the nation's 250th anniversary, it seems possible that MAGA followers are waking up to the reality that their Dear Leader isn't all that."
Parton continues, "Trump's big problem is that his lies about the economy are catching up to him. It was one thing when the detested Joe Biden oversaw a brief period of high inflation during the post-pandemic recovery. They knew who to blame. After all, Trump told them Biden had stolen the election and was too old and sleepy to do the job. But after a year and a half of the second Trump presidency, even they can't lie to themselves anymore. He promised to banish inflation, and it's only gotten worse."
The Salon journalist notes that according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in mid-June, Trump's support among rural voters is now at 50 percent compared to 60 percent in February.
"That voting bloc…. went for Trump by 40 points in the 2024 election, but are now feeling the pinch of tariffs, high gas prices and the soaring cost of living in general," Parton observes. "They're not too happy about the Iran war either, whether there's a 'deal' or not…. This discontent isn't found solely among rural voters. Trump is in trouble with blue-collar workers across the board."
Parton observes that "Trump's obsession with the White House ballroom" is "not going down well" with working-class voters.
"If he thinks the Marie Antoinette strategy is a big winner," Parton argues, "he’s wrong…. The non-college-educated voters who have traditionally been his bedrock supporters are facing so much financial strain these days that his cultural affinities, even when they're somewhat authentic, just don't cut it. As the Emperor Nero could have told Trump, bread and circuses are a great combination, but they don't work without the bread."