Democrats won big in Ohio on working-class issues. Can they deliver?

Ohio voters elected a Democratic senator, eight Democratic representatives and the state’s first Democratic governor in 16 years, after campaigns focused on workers and affordability. The results suggest economic concerns helped Democrats make gains, but experts caution against treating them as evidence that one unified working class has returned to the party.

Ohio’s working-class voters span unionised steel and auto workers, lower-paid service workers and rural voters with different political priorities. De-industrialisation cost the Mahoning Valley tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs, while Ohio’s median household income has fallen below the national figure, making higher food and fuel prices especially pressing. Analysts also pointed to Republican difficulties, including Donald Trump’s low approval rating.