--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our message of strengthening the middle…" description: "\"Our message of strengthening the middle class, working people, we just didn't penetrate well enough and we didn't have the kind of turn out that we rea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg" --- # Our message of strengthening the middle class, working… ![“Our message of strengthening the middle class, working people, we just didn't penetrate well enough and we didn't have the kind of turn out that we really needed or expected.” quote by Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg) > “Our message of strengthening the middle class, working people, we just didn't penetrate well enough and we didn't have the kind of turn out that we really needed or expected.” [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our message to support the middle class didn't reach enough people, resulting in lower voter turnout than expected. **In simple terms:** Message failed to reach voters, hurting turnout. Key Takeaway Improve outreach to engage target audience. Themes politics communication voter engagement Mood concerned determined Type strategic analytical When to use this quote - election campaigns - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts Campaign strategy public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can you better connect with the middle class? - What channels are most effective for political messaging? A Different Perspective Message may be ignored despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Didn Penetrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-penetrate-5095381/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Expected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Message Strengthening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message-strengthening-5095380/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Penetrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penetrate/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Strengthening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strengthening/) [Strengthening Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strengthening-middle-3319132/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Working people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-people/) ## Related quotes > [To be sure, reforming the tax code is not enough. Strengthening the middle class will also require a positive set of policies that create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/to-be-sure-reforming-the-tax-code-is-not-enough-strengthening-the/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [ Worked hard on \[our message of strengthening the middle class, working people\], but it didn't come through in places like Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania.It really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/worked-hard-on-our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle-class-working/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [We have to have a shared prosperity. We have to make that our job number one. People want a better economic playing field for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-have-to-have-a-shared-prosperity-we-have-to-make-that-our-job/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [People feel like there're two systems of justice, you know? Over there at Wells Fargo, you know, you had the scandal going on there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/people-feel-like-there-re-two-systems-of-justice-you-know-over-there/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [There're a lot of places that I can serve. And I'm going to serve. I'm going to be fighting to rebuild the Democratic party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/there-re-a-lot-of-places-that-i-can-serve-and-i-m-going-to-serve-i-m/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I hope what we can talk about is something that happened, you know, within the last 25 years, the things that are relevant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-hope-what-we-can-talk-about-is-something-that-happened-you-know/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The fact is, is that Donald Trump knows that as he rifles money from the working and middle classes up to the super rich,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/the-fact-is-is-that-donald-trump-knows-that-as-he-rifles-money-from/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I love the donors and we thank them, but it has to be that the guys in the barber shop, the lady at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-love-the-donors-and-we-thank-them-but-it-has-to-be-that-the-guys-in/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Listening is about making and strengthening a connection with another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bijou/listening-is-about-making-and-strengthening-a-connection-with-another/) [Jude Bijou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bijou/) > [“strengthening my grip on the Sword of the Spirit, God began wedging the Shield of Faith in my other hand so that I’d learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/strengthening-my-grip-on-the-sword-of-the-spirit-god-began-wedging/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Strengthening our identity is one way of reinforcing people's confidence and sense of citizenship and well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/strengthening-our-identity-is-one-way-of-reinforcing-people-s/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [“A part of a healthy conscience is being able to confront consciencelessness. When you teach your daughter, explicitly or by passive rejection, that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stout/a-part-of-a-healthy-conscience-is-being-able-to-confront/) [Martha Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stout/) > [Mindfulness is being aware of yourself, others, and your surroundings in the moment. When consciously and kindly focusing awareness on life as it unfolds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-thoele/mindfulness-is-being-aware-of-yourself-others-and-your-surroundings/) [Sue Thoele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-thoele/) > [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) ## More by Keith Ellison > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I think that you need all perspectives to reflect the needs of the country. If you only give people one perspective, inputting their views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-think-that-you-need-all-perspectives-to-reflect-the-needs-of-the/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I've been winning with 70 percent of the vote, and if you look at my district, you know it's a majority Christian district, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-winning-with-70-percent-of-the-vote-and-if-you-look-at-my/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [If you ignore somebody's record and only focus on something that happened 25 years ago when all they were doing even then was trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-ignore-somebody-s-record-and-only-focus-on-something-that/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [When you're a leader, you cannot ignore parts of your constituency, even if you know they're not going to vote for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/when-you-re-a-leader-you-cannot-ignore-parts-of-your-constituency/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [We need a strong farm bill that gives assistance to farmers during times of drought, creates markets for local goods, protects our environment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-need-a-strong-farm-bill-that-gives-assistance-to-farmers-during/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The middle class should not continue to foot the bill for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/the-middle-class-should-not-continue-to-foot-the-bill-for-tax-breaks/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I think that Donald Trump picked on people's fears, their anxieties and he gave them somebody to blame, and some folks just really turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-think-that-donald-trump-picked-on-people-s-fears-their-anxieties/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I've been talking to people all over the country, city council members, grassroots leaders, party leaders, members in Congress - and you know what?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-talking-to-people-all-over-the-country-city-council-members/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I love the donors and we thank them, but it has to be that the guys in the barber shop, the lady at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-love-the-donors-and-we-thank-them-but-it-has-to-be-that-the-guys-in/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I'm particularly good at turnout. So in my district, I had the lowest voter turnout in 2006. And now I have the highest turnout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-m-particularly-good-at-turnout-so-in-my-district-i-had-the-lowest/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I want to avoid sounding like I'm criticizing because I don't have all the facts in front of me yet. And I am trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-want-to-avoid-sounding-like-i-m-criticizing-because-i-don-t-have/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [ “\[Martin Luther King\] said that little black boys and little black girls would be able to join hands with little white boys and little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/martin-luther-king-said-that-little-black-boys-and-little-black-girls/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [“America operates under the notion of equality before the law. Basic fairness is an article of faith. We may not agree on everything all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/america-operates-under-the-notion-of-equality-before-the-law-basic/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) [Explore all 116 Keith Ellison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our message of strengthening the middle class, working people, we just didn't penetrate well enough and we didn't have the kind of turn out that we really needed or expected.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Ellison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle-class-working-people-we-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle-class-working-people-we-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/keith-ellison-4072_class_our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle_1430990.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our message of strengthening the middle class, working people, we just didn't penetrate well enough and we…” — Keith Ellison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Keith Ellison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our message of strengthening the middle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle-class-working-people-we-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/our-message-of-strengthening-the-middle-class-working-people-we-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```