Analysis: Education has become the biggest predictor of how someone will vote
American voters are divided by factors like gender, race, and region, all of which help explain the current political landscape. However, according to longtime Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik, who served as political director for former President Bill Clinton, education level has become the most significant predictor of voting patterns in the U.S. today.
Sosnik explained on the “CNN Political Briefing” podcast with David Chalian that former President Donald Trump’s rise over the last three election cycles accelerated a political realignment based on education—a shift that had been building since the early 1970s as the middle class began to decline.
In the evolving 21st-century economy, Sosnik noted a growing divide between those with higher education, whom he describes as the Democratic Party’s core, and those who feel left behind, now the foundation of the Republican Party. Although college graduates make up only about 40% of the population, they hold roughly three-quarters of the nation’s wealth.
Sosnik also highlighted that the battleground states likely to decide the next election are moderate in terms of education levels. These states don’t lean too heavily toward either college-educated or non-college-educated voters, setting them apart from the rest of the country.
Vance lands in Minneapolis for fundraiser minutes after Walz plane departs
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance arrived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Monday afternoon, stepping off the plane alongside his wife, Usha Vance.
Just minutes before Vance’s arrival, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s campaign plane had departed from the same airport, bound for Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
According to a source familiar with the itinerary, Vance has a closed-door fundraiser and a roundtable in Minneapolis before heading to Chicago for another fundraising event.
Interestingly, Vance’s plane was parked only a few feet from the spot where Walz’s plane had been earlier.
