Democrats Lose the White Middle Class

President Barack Obama is losing the White middle class. Mitt Romney is 19 percentage points ahead of Obama with White voters making $36,000 up to $90,000 in household income. Obama is also losing independent middle-income voters by 8 percentage points.

Obama carries lower-income voters (less than $36,000) and Romney wins wealthy voters (over $90,000). But, Obama’s challenge is that, although there are more lower- than higher-income voters, low-income voters say they are less likely to turn out.

Democrats, of course, have been losing the White middle class for years, but Obama’s problem this year is that support among middle class and even lower-income (down to $24,000) Whites (non-Hispanic) has declined since the 2008 sweep against John McCain. His support of 37 percent is 6 percent lower than 2008.

Among the middle-income voters, Obama has targets of opportunity with women (currently wins by 3%) and, of course, more secular voters.

See:
Gallup: Romney edges Obama in battle for middle-income voters 
Gallup: Obama’s White base shows cracks compared with 2008
Real Clear Politics: Obama’s White support is too low to win 
National Journal: How diversity divides White America