'Trump political base hit hardest by coronavirus'

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53224752

The economic impact of the coronavirus has taken a heavier toll on low-wage earners according to Tomas J Philipson, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC before his reported departure, he said: "There's a sort of unique impact of this shock in that its very regressive, hitting the low wage part of the economy. Low-wage workers take a bigger hit than higher wage".

The virus has derailed any progress the US was making in raising the living standards of those on low pay, Prof Philipson said in an interview for Coronavirus: The Economic Shock, in which some of the world's leading economists and business leaders look at how the gravest economic downturn in nearly a hundred years may change the way we live and work.

"We had enormous success in growing lower wages before the pandemic struck, so this has taken a very regressive toll on the economy," he argues.

This has political implications for the upcoming November election as President Trump enjoys far higher support among non-college educated voters - often used as a proxy for low vs high wage earners - than among those who have college degrees.