Former Trump Voter Joins Sanders' Anti-Oligarchy Movement

In a political climate marked by deep polarization and ideological entrenchment, the story of Jim Dukenfield, a retired warehouse worker from Pennsylvania, stands out as a powerful testament to personal evolution and shifting loyalties.

A lifelong Republican and 2016 Trump voter, Dukenfield recently announced his full-throated regret over supporting Donald Trump and his newfound admiration for progressive firebrand Senator Bernie Sanders.

Speaking to WHYY-FM, Philadelphia’s public radio station, Dukenfield laid bare the disappointment that turned him away from the GOP and toward a man once seen as the antithesis of Republican orthodoxy.

“When I first heard that [Trump] wanted to stop the union organizing for federal employees, that's when he got my attention,” Dukenfield said. “If it starts somewhere, it's not going to stop. Every union should get together to fight this. It's a working man's world. Our country's a working man's country.”

His comments reflect a growing frustration among parts of the working class who once gravitated to Trump’s populist messaging but now feel betrayed by the policies enacted under his administration. For Dukenfield, the anti-union stance was the last straw. “Trump showed me that he's not a leader and I was sorry I voted for him,” he said.

The Chester County resident didn’t stop there. Once proud to call himself a Republican, he said that identity no longer fits. “I was happy to be a Republican. They weren't always exactly right, but I felt that they were fair and looking out for the people,” Dukenfield said.

“I don't feel that way anymore. Not even a little bit.” Instead, he’s found inspiration in an unlikely figure: Bernie Sanders. Once demonized by conservatives as a radical socialist, Sanders is now attracting new fans from across the political spectrum as he continues his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour—a grassroots campaign aimed at taking on the billionaire class and restoring power to working people.

According to Sanders' communications director Anna Bahr, Dukenfield is not alone. In an email to Newsweek, Bahr stated, “Mr. Dukenfield is not alone. Lifelong Republicans, Trump supporters, Independents, Democrats and people who have never been involved with politics have all turned out for the Fighting Oligarchy tour.

We are not living in a 'left versus right' political paradigm anymore. It's 'the very top versus everyone else.'” This reframing of American politics as a battle between the elite and the rest of the population is striking a chord, even among former Trump voters who once saw the former president as a champion of the working class.

Sanders' rallies reflect that shift in sentiment. His March event in Los Angeles attracted around 36,000 people—his largest audience to date. On May Day in Philadelphia, his team reported a crowd of approximately 5,000, including Democrats, independents, and a surprising number of conservative-leaning individuals like Dukenfield.

These events are more than political rallies—they’re becoming forums for realignment, where disillusioned voters are searching for a new political home.

Dukenfield, whose economic views center on labor rights, fair wages, and union protections, now sees Sanders as someone who truly represents the working class. His rejection of Trump’s immigration policies further underscores the shift. “Going in and grabbing people, not knowing if they're citizens or what's going on, is a disgrace,” he said.

“Due process is needed in the United States.” His comments echo the criticism many have directed at the Trump administration’s harsh immigration crackdowns, which have led to the detention and deportation of thousands, often under legally questionable circumstances.

Cases like that of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a deported El Salvadorian whose removal defied court orders, highlight the tension between Trump’s immigration enforcement and the constitutional principle of due process.

Sanders, speaking at his May Day rally, made it clear that the fight against oligarchy includes taking on both Republican and Democratic figures who fail to prioritize the working class. “So let us be clear and lay it out on the table in the year 2025—in America, we are now living in an oligarchic form of society,” Sanders declared.

He warned Democratic leaders that compromise on core issues would not be tolerated. “If they vote for tax breaks for billionaires and cut Medicaid, nutrition, and education, we are going to throw them out of their jobs,” he said to roaring applause.

For Dukenfield, Sanders’ message is a breath of fresh air in a political landscape that he believes has grown indifferent to everyday Americans. “The arrogance, selfishness, greed, and exploitation of the current oligarchic regime—as personified by Elon Musk, but also by many other billionaires like Zuckerberg, Bezos, etc.—have generated a period of populist revolt that unites working people across the political spectrum,” Bahr said.

This growing discontent is turning former Trump allies into Sanders supporters, flipping the script on what many assumed to be fixed political identities.

Dukenfield's shift is part of a broader trend in American politics: the breakdown of traditional party affiliations in favor of issue-based alliances. While some Democratic insiders remain skeptical of Sanders’ ability to reach across the aisle, real-world stories like Dukenfield’s suggest that economic populism has a broader appeal than many analysts realize.

After Sanders lost the Democratic primary in 2016, around 12% of his supporters voted for Trump in the general election. Now, the reverse appears to be happening—Trump voters disillusioned by broken promises are turning to Sanders in search of something real.

The political energy fueling Sanders’ movement isn’t just rhetorical—it’s visceral. Denver resident Mary Ann Bennett, who attended a joint rally held by Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, told Newsweek, “The Democratic Party has not been taking strong actions for the working class.

Bernie and AOC acknowledged this, which was step one, and then laid out their plans for action which were met with strong cheers from the 30,000 people who showed up. Those moments were when I felt the most empowered and ready to fight for my neighbors.”

Not everyone is thrilled by Sanders’ surge in support. Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing Sanders’ rally turnout as nothing more than paid theatrics.

“The Dems just move around the same group of paid 'protesters,’” Musk posted. In another post, he sneered, “Bernie is just fully communist.” Such attacks reflect the fear among the elite that Sanders’ anti-oligarchy message is resonating more than expected.

As Sanders continues his tour with upcoming stops in Harrisburg and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, momentum is building. The 2028 election may still be years away, but with Republicans currently controlling the White House, Senate, and House, the Democrats face a pivotal moment of redefinition. Sanders is challenging them not just to win elections, but to stand for something more meaningful than compromise.

Dukenfield’s transformation—from Trump loyalist to Sanders supporter—offers a glimpse into what that redefinition might look like. It’s not about switching teams; it’s about switching values.

It’s about working Americans refusing to be divided by party lines and instead rallying around the fight for economic dignity, union rights, and social justice. His voice joins a growing chorus demanding more from American politics.

Whether Dukenfield’s story is a solitary outlier or a sign of a larger movement remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in the age of Sanders’ anti-oligarchy rebellion, former Trump voters are no longer off-limits.

The political battlefield is changing, and the lines are being redrawn—not between red and blue, but between the billionaires and the rest of us. And on that battlefield, Bernie Sanders is gaining ground.