Why Working-Class Voters Are Turning Away from the Democratic Party (with Lainey Newman)

For decades, unions were more than just labor organizations—they were community anchors that shaped working-class identity and political loyalty. But what happens when an entire generation loses its economic and social foundation? The Rust Belt’s working-class voters were once a Democratic stronghold, but that’s no longer the case. Lainey Newman, co-author of Rust Belt Union Blues, joins Paul and Goldy this week to explain how the erosion of union power helped shift working-class voters away from Democrats, and why economic fixes alone won’t be enough to win them back. Lainey Newman is an author and J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Social Media: @laineynewman.bsky.social laineynewman @LaineyNewman Further reading: Rust Belt Union Blues: Why Working-Class Voters Are Turning Away from the Democratic Party Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Twitter: @PitchforkEcon , @NickHanauer , @civicaction YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Substack: The Pitch