The Democrats have long sought to portray themselves as the party for the middle class while casting the Republicans as the party for the wealthy. However, a report by the Democratic think tank/non-partisan not-for-profit strategic advocacy organization, Third Way, “Unrequited Love: Middle Class Voters Reject Democrats at the Ballot Box,” paints a different picture.
If the report is correct, even though the Dems attempt to cast themselves as the party for the middle class, this group actually votes Republican. For the purposes of this report, people in families making between $30,000 and $75,000 are middle class. Third Way reports that Bush won this group by 19 points in the last election. Democrats showing with white voters was the poorest. According to Third Way, staring at $23,700 per year, a white voter was more likely to vote Republican than Democrat. Contrary to logic, whites making more than $75K per year were more likely to vote Democrat than those making $50 – $75. While whites are firmly in the Republican camp, Hispanics are beginning to move away from the Dems. Kerry only won Hispanics making $50 – $75K by 2%. This move is fueled in part by a increased wealth in the Hispanic population. Black voters are the only group who consistently votes Democratic despite income.
Based on income and pure numbers, i.e. not thinking about race, the Democrats do best with the poor, then the wealthy, and worst with the middle class.
**I don't remember where this number came from, I may be wrong, but I read that the top 1% of income earners vote overwhelmingly Democratic.
Bush Groups
Whites with family income of more than $23,700
Married Women making more than $30,000
Kerry Groups
Unmarried Women – All incomes
Black Voters – All incomes
Hispanics with family income of less than $50,000
Split Groups
Hispanics with family income of greater than $50,000
45% of voters have family income between $30 – $75K
White Voters
$15 – $30: Kerry +3%
$30 – $50: Bush +17%
$50 – $75: Bush +26%
$75 : Bush +23%
Hispanic Voters
$15 – $30: Kerry +21%
$30 – $75: Kerry +10%
$50 – $75: Kerry +2%
$75+ : Even
Black Voters
$30 – $75: Kerry +80%
$100+ : Kerry +57%
Married Women
$15 – $30: Kerry +15%
$30 – $75: Bush +15%
$75 + : Bush +15%
Unmarried Women
$15 – $30: Kerry +33%
$30 – $75: Kerry +19%
$75 + : Kerry +24%