What's the Matter with Kansas? is an essay published as an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on May 13, 2004, by Thomas Frank. It served as a precursor to his more extensive book of the same name, published later that year. The essay argues that working-class and lower-middle-class voters in Kansas, and more broadly throughout the American Midwest and South, have been consistently voting against their own economic interests by supporting socially conservative and culturally divisive policies and candidates of the Republican Party.
Frank posits that these voters, traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party due to its focus on economic issues and labor rights, have been swayed by the "culture wars." These cultural issues, encompassing topics like abortion, gun control, same-sex marriage, and religion in public life, are deliberately exploited by the Republican Party to distract from its pro-business and anti-regulation agenda.
The editorial, and the subsequent book, argue that the focus on these emotionally charged social issues creates a "backlash" against the perceived liberal elitism of the Democratic Party, pushing working-class voters into the Republican camp despite the party's policies often favoring corporations and the wealthy. This, Frank contends, leads to a situation where voters are actively voting for policies that harm their economic well-being, prioritizing cultural identity over financial security.
The essay generated considerable debate and discussion following its publication, sparking conversations about the role of culture, class, and political polarization in American politics. While praised for its analysis of the changing political landscape, it has also been criticized for oversimplifying the motivations of voters and for potentially underestimating the importance of social conservatism in shaping political views.