You think you know white working class voters? A new poll by the Public Religion Research Institute, is shaking up some of the stereotypes. For example they are just about as likely or unlikely to identify with the Tea Party as college educated people from the same demographic. Only 5% say that abortion or same-sex marriage is the most important issue for deciding their vote. More than half say abortion should be legal.
“The study also confounds those who believe white working-class voters consistently vote against their own economic interests: Those who received food stamps in the last two years preferred Obama to Romney 48 to 36 percent, while two-thirds of those who hadn’t preferred Romney.”
The poll did show that some of the stereotypes hold, but over all it gives the impression of a much more nuanced awareness than liberal elites assume. This report on the study (“Beyond God and Guns”) also muses that the GOP could very well lose this voting block if they continue their swing to the right.