When Democrats talk about the economy, they often ignore the real feelings of everyday Americans who don’t make enough money to feel comfortable. a study It found that 70 percent of Americans sometimes live paycheck to paycheck, while half of Americans always live paycheck to paycheck. While Latinos make up a growing portion of the U.S. workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. only 21 percent Having a bachelor’s degree or higher. This was compared 61 percent of Asians Those who have a university degree or higher.

London-based geopolitical risk expert Lindsay Newman said in an interview that voters who think the economy is doing well for them are likely to vote for Harris, while Americans who are “disgruntled with the pandemic and still feel comfortable with their pockets.” For Trump. Newman said Trump’s secondary supporters are the ultra-wealthy, attracted by his lax regulatory policies and deep tax cuts for the wealthy.

While Democrats support their achievements for working Americans, including the Biden administration Infrastructure investments and reducing inflationthese successes were not connected to the daily realities on the ground. Nor has Biden’s desire to retreat from some of the neoliberal “free market will get it done” ideology that has plagued past Democratic administrations. “This election is about the felt experience, not about what you tell them about the economy,” Newman said. “People weren’t feeling it at home, and they weren’t seeing it in their communities or among their friends and family.”

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, “Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else).” The author of the book agrees. Democrats have often struggled to speak to a coalition of working-class voters in a way that shows they understand their concerns. “If you know where the rent is coming from, then maybe the issue of fraud and gerrymandering is a top 5 concern for you,” Táíwò said. Táíwò said Democrats talk about the middle class and Republicans talk about the working class. And while in 2016 the term working class was used as a euphemism for poor white people, this election saw more low-income Latino and Asian people voting based on their own economic concerns. “Politics is a messaging game, you can’t get out of this reality by doing politics,” Táíwò said.

Just as Republicans had to confront back-to-back losses under President Barack Obama, Democrats need to evaluate their strategies among these groups and realize that not only have their messages about the economy failed, but so have their calls to save American democracy. At a time when some Americans are struggling to pay their mortgages.

Another area where Democrats overestimated the commitment of Latino and Asian voters was immigration. Both groups have historically been divided into large, imprecise categories that often do not take into account ethnic, racial, class, or immigration status. Native-born people who are generations removed from their immigrant roots may not view the deportations promised by the Trump administration as threatening. In fact, even in New York City, a blue stronghold, Trump has made inroads among some immigrant communities concerned about immigrants coming to the city.

Of course, the media has played a large role in the increasing embrace of Trumpism in Latino communities. Conservative radio shows, podcasts, and misinformation networks have targeted Latinos and young men more broadly. In her book “Defectors, the Rise of the Latino Far Right, and What It Means for America,” journalist Paola Ramos describes how Latinos in the United States are influenced by tribalism, conservative values, and an obsession with their country’s authoritarian governments. origin This is combined like this: Inclusion of Latinos in white supremacist movements Like the Proud Boys and the cultural history of anti-Black racism and misogyny.

To be competitive, Democrats need to go back to basics to define themselves and what they stand for; Does this mean expanding or shrinking their proverbial tent and being clear about who they are? Newman said the party took a top-down approach that said “we know what’s going on here,” which may have distracted some voters.

On the other hand, Trump’s populist messages, whether real or not, resonate with voters, Táíwò said. “Even though people want to label Trump as unreal, he also fed people McDonald’s in the White House, appeared on (World Wrestling Entertainment), and gave (mercy) to the rappers” said Táíwò. “In the eyes of many people, he was seen as someone who was different from the elite establishment.”

Trump won the popular vote and will take the Senate and possibly the House of Representatives, but time will tell whether his policies will actually help the working class.

As the Democratic Party considers how to move forward, those who voted for Trump and splintered the party may find that they don’t get what they bargained for in the end. The president-elect is indecisive, unstable, and surrounded by oligarchs like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel who are determined to control much of American life, including access to information and media.

Trump has called for the deportation of millions of people, including family members of those who voted for him, and the destruction of important parts of our American democracy. This should scare Democrats enough to quickly figure out their next move. “We are increasingly moving towards a situation where working-class people have no representation at the national level,” Táíwò said. “What will people do when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is working for their own holistic well-being?”

Tanzina Vega is a contributing Globe Opinion writer.