President Donald Trump is losing support among working-class Americans as his administration struggles to convince voters that it can improve the economy, a shift that is creating an opening for Democrats to win over voters disillusioned with the president's economic promises. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, that opening now sits at the center of both parties' electoral calculations.

Democratic strategist Morris Katz argues that winning back working-class voters is central to the party's prospects, but only if Democrats pair a well-executed strategy with concrete follow-through. In an interview with The Atlantic, Katz outlined what he believes is working for the party and what must change for Democrats to gain a political advantage.

In Katz's view, Democrats have grown too closely aligned with wealthy donors and political elites, leaving them seemingly out of touch with working people. He argues the party needs to shift its focus toward mounting economic concerns, particularly the influence of billionaires and corporate interests.

Drawing on his experience with voters, Katz says financial struggles and economic well-being outweigh cultural or social issues in people's day-to-day concerns. He contends that Democrats should recognize this distinction and address everyday economic pressures rather than foregrounding the social issues they believe will win back voters. Doing so, he asserts, would allow the party to build a stronger connection with working-class Americans and establish a reliability factor that is currently missing.

A July analysis from The New York Times documented the erosion of Trump's standing with working-class Americans, specifically blue-collar white voters without college degrees. During his first term, Trump maintained strong support among working-class white voters, who largely approved of his handling of the economy by margins of 30 percentage points or more. That backing has declined sharply during his second term.

At the time of the Times analysis, polls showed working-class white voters disapproving of his economic leadership by margins ranging from 14 to more than 30 percentage points. The swing suggests that voters who once viewed Trump as an economic champion have grown increasingly dissatisfied with his ability to address their financial concerns and deliver on his promises.

Trump's economic approval has fallen among nearly every demographic. But his declining support among working-class white voters, a group that has been central to his political base for the past decade, could prove one of the most significant political developments of his term. His advisers have sought to rebuild support by promoting the administration's tax cut packages, though not everyone has been persuaded. How these dynamics play out — whether Democrats can execute Katz's economic-first playbook, and whether the administration's tax cut push regains traction with voters it has not yet fully persuaded — will become clearer as the midterm campaign takes shape.