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Articles by Nicholas Jacobs
Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve
THE CONVERSATION — Since 2016, when Donald Trump shattered the Democrats’ blue wall by winning working-class voters across the Midwest, a cottage industry has sprung up on the left dedicated to answering a single question: How can Democrats win back the working class? The answers come in different forms. Sometimes it is veteran Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, railing against “the oligarchs.” Or it’s Connecticut Sen.
Democrats Have a Working‑Class Voter Problem That Progressives Are Still Struggling To Solve
Democrats Have a Working‑Class Voter Problem That Progressives Are Still Struggling To Solve Since 2016, when Donald Trump shattered the Democrats’ blue wall by winning working-class voters across the Midwest, a cottage industry has sprung up on the left dedicated to answering a single question: How can Democrats win back the working class? The answers come in different forms. Sometimes it is veteran Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, railing against “the oligarchs.” Or it’s Connecticut Sen.
Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve
Class-war rhetoric from Democratic candidates jams working-class voters into a prefabricated progressive agenda, an expert on rural and working-class communities argues.
Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve
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Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve
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Democrats have a working-class voter problem that progressives like Abdul El-Sayed are still struggling to solve
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Platner exposes ugly truth of elections
Politics and legal affairs editor Naomi Schalit spoke with political scientist Nicholas Jacobs, who has followed the campaign and talked with Platner directly in 2025. In the past, candidates generally emerged from a pipeline – electoral experience, vetting by the party. They did not emerge out of candidate recruitment by outsiders or party critics. But nationally we’re seeing that kind of insurgent recruitment, including with Platner. Is this a new kind of politics?
Graham Platner’s campaign implosion highlights the hollowness of America’s political parties and how they can be hijacked by insurgents
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Graham Platner's campaign implosion highlights the hollowness of America's political parties and how they can be hijacked by insurgents
Graham Platner's Senate campaign has imploded amid credible accusations of rape. A Maine political scientist looks at what happened and how the populist Platner resembles Donald Trump in key ways.
Graham Platner's campaign implosion highlights the hollowness of America's political parties and how they can be hijacked by insurgents
Graham Platner's Senate campaign has imploded amid credible accusations of rape. A Maine political scientist looks at what happened and how the populist Platner resembles Donald Trump in key ways.
Graham Platner’s campaign implosion highlights the hollowness of America’s political parties and how they can be hijacked by insurgents
It wasn’t a surprise, but it was a bombshell. kAmk6>m!=2E?6C 925 82:?65 E96 76CG6?E DFAA@CE @7 AC@8C6DD:G6D :? |2:?6 2?5 @FED:56] qFE 96 925 366?
Graham Platner's campaign implosion highlights the hollowness of America's political parties and how they can be hijacked by insurgents
It wasn't a surprise, but it was a bombshell. On July 6, 2026, Politico published the detailed account of a Maine woman who said she had been sexually assaulted by Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner almost five years ago. Platner called the allegation "categorically untrue," then said he was " taking the time to reflect on the best path forward Platner had gained the fervent support of progressives in Maine and outside.
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