Trump's Support Slips Among Working-Class White Voters

President Donald Trump built much of his 2024 election victory on the support of white working-class voters. These are people without four-year college degrees who work in factories, on farms, and in trades like plumbing or construction. But new polls show that many of those same voters are now unhappy with Trump. The main reasons are higher prices for food and gas, a war in Iran, and cuts to health care programs.

Ashton Reed, 22, voted for Trump in 2024 and lives in Jackson, Missouri. He liked Trump's promise to fix the economy and bring prices down. But since then, Reed lost his heating and air conditioning job, and health insurance for his wife became too expensive after government aid ran out. 'A huge chunk of why I voted for him in 2024 was because of economics,' Reed said. 'Obviously not happy with him at all.'

Polls show Reed is not alone. A CBS News-YouGov poll from May found that 54% of white voters without college degrees disapproved of Trump — up from just 32% in February 2025. Other polls showed similar results, with disapproval among rural voters jumping from 34% to 48% in just a few months. Experts say the main reason is rising costs for everyday items like food and gas.

Denver Feltner, 38, lives in Hazard, Kentucky, and works two jobs to support his five children. He voted for Trump hoping the economy would improve, but instead his grocery bills shot up and his health insurance costs quadrupled after a government tax credit expired. For months, his family had no health insurance at all, even though he has had health problems. 'I was pretty good under his first term, but it's completely different,' he said.

Feltner's community in Appalachian Kentucky depends heavily on Medicaid, a government health program for low-income families. About 44% of people in his area used Medicaid in 2024. Trump's new spending bill is expected to cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and a children's health program, possibly leaving millions without coverage. Feltner says he will support any candidate — from either party — who works to fix the health care problem.

Farmers are also feeling squeezed. Bob Worth, 73, grows soybeans and corn on 1,700 acres in rural Minnesota and voted for Trump in 2024. A trade fight with China hurt soybean sales, and fuel and fertilizer costs have climbed because of the Iran war. 'Our cash flows right now are in the red,' Worth said, though he still hopes Trump will deliver results in the long run.

The midterm elections this fall will decide who controls Congress. Historically, the president's party loses seats during midterms. Back in 2018, working-class white voters still strongly supported Trump's handling of the economy — but today's polls show widespread disapproval from that same group. Some experts warn this could cost Republicans seats in states like Iowa, where several races are now considered too close to call.

Not every unhappy voter will switch parties. Party loyalty is strong, and Democrats are not widely popular in many rural areas. But one poll found 44% of white voters without college degrees now say they may vote Democratic — up from 30% before the 2018 midterms. Political scientist Noam Lupu said voting habits change slowly, and the real question is whether frustration with prices will last or fade. 'A lot of the big changes we see in American politics are often generational,' he said.