Democrats’ dependence on suburbs could complicate policy agenda

Published September 17, 2020 10:11am ET



Democrats are hoping that the suburban shift that fueled their takeover of the House in 2018 will return them to full control of Washington next January. But the party’s increasing reliance on suburban voters could complicate their policy agenda once in power.

A lot has been written about how the Republican coalition changed under President Trump. The GOP’s increasing dependence on white working-class voters and seniors has meant a move away from Paul Ryan style policies toward one more skeptical of free trade, more hawkish on immigration, more eager to fight in the culture wars, and less interested than ever in reforming entitlements.

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