Which shift was more painful to see?

[perpetual_cynic]

Well I suppose Miami-Dade is hard to see, but the RGV really highlighted the Democrats *even worse* performance among rural-working class voters of all races. The RGV is just the next tale in the story of the modern Democratic struggle to receive the working-class vote. Democrats mustn't lose any further ground in working-class America, or Pennsylvania might be gone.

[perpetual_cynic]

Texas still swung and trended Democratic in spite of the massive shifts in the RGV.

Let's be honest. From a numerical standpoint, losing Zapata but flipping Tarrant, Williamson and Hays is a really good trade for Democrats. The more serious problem for them is that the overall margin in Harris didn't really budge.

Yeah urban minority voters swung to Trump in Houston, suburbs swung left. However, look at the swing 2012 to 2016, that was a massive swing. Very similar situation in Orange County, CA. I think the Dems are doing pretty well for now in Harris Co.

[perpetual_cynic]

Well I suppose Miami-Dade is hard to see, but the RGV really highlighted the Democrats *even worse* performance among rural-working class voters of all races. The RGV is just the next tale in the story of the modern Democratic struggle to receive the working-class vote. Democrats mustn't lose any further ground in working-class America, or Pennsylvania might be gone.

Pennsylvania is hardly the bastion of working class America. It's economy is quite white collar. Philadelphia and its Dem-friendly suburbs are growing (albeit slowly), as well as the Allentown area too. The Pittsburgh area is no longer seeing steep losses either. Maybe Michigan fits the profile of a working class state better.

Yes, that was a bad example. The areas you mentioned are white-collar but I suppose a better term is rural instead of blue-collar. The same trend is similar, in my opinion, to the RGV. Dems believed the slip of rural voters was limited to white voters, however, this election shows that to be untrue. Dems slipped this election in rural areas regardless of color whether it be the Mississippi Delta, the RGV, or Southern Ohio.