Examining campaign finance records from the most recent presidential election, one would be hard-pressed to find any white-collar profession where conservative donors put up more cash in support of Republicans than liberals did Democrats. Even physicians, long hailed by Republicans for their conservative bona fides, contributed more funds to Democrats by a 2-to-1 margin in 2024.

While Republicans stemmed some of the bleeding with cash infusions from blue-collar workers, with truck drivers and construction workers being notable examples, studies have long shown that those with college degrees are far more likely to donate to political campaigns, which makes courting educated voters crucial for either party during tight elections.