Fascinating info here!
OpenSecrets has compiled a chart that shows contributions from the top 100 occupations giving to 2020 Democrats via ActBlue, sorted by the total the top candidate received.
The Vermont senator is the top recipient among farmers, servers, social workers, retail workers, photographers, construction workers, truckers, nurses and drivers, among several other groups. Each of those professions — which don’t typically provide much campaign cash — earn near or below the median income, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sanders has raised $46 million in total, far more than his primary opponents, so it’s no surprise he leads among the most professions. But it’s his margin of victory that stands out.
My takeaways:
- The further left you go on this chart, the more likely the donor is a working-class person.
- The further right you go on this chart, the more likely the donor is a higher wage earner.
- You will note that the circles include all candidates, and the segments are in order by amount given to that candidate.
- The occupations that Sanders is #1 for tend to have Warren as #2, Buttigieg as #3, etc.
- The occupations that Biden is #1 for tend to have Harris as #2, Buttigieg as #3, etc.
- It is likely that teachers, farmers, artists, unemployed, etc are giving less money, but that is made up for in quantity of donors. (Note: Sanders just hit 1 million individual donors, which supports that idea)
- It is likely that CEOs, Chairmen, Investors, etc are giving larger donations. There are a lot fewer CEOs and Chairmen in this country than there are teachers and professors.
We can posit, then, that the further left you go on this chart, the more support you will see from the average person, and thus more numbers to get out the vote.
What do you think?