Bobby Kennedy and Tom Suozzi

Tom Suozzi’s victory this week in a special election for a House district in Long Island and Queens has allowed other Democrats to dream about what success might look like in November.

Yes, Suozzi’s race was atypical. Above all, voter turnout in special elections is much lower than in presidential elections, and low turnout now benefits Democrats, as my colleague Nate Cohn has emphasized.

Still, Suozzi’s campaign offered an early glimpse of messages that Democrats plan to use against Donald Trump. And in those messages is a larger theme. It’s a theme with a rich history, including in Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain.

Voting your conscience

A common lament from Democrats is: Why do so many Americans vote against their economic interests?

It’s an understandable question in many ways. Even though the Republican Party favors tax cuts for the rich and cuts in government programs that benefit most Americans, Republican candidates now win most working-class voters (defined as people without a bachelor’s degree).

But the question also exposes a lack of self-awareness on the political left. After all, many liberals vote against their economic interests, too. The country’s wealthiest suburbs, as well as vacation spots like the Hamptons, generally vote Democratic despite the party’s belief in taxing the rich.

These patterns are a reminder that Americans, across ideological groups, care about more than just economic policy — and voting on these other beliefs is not irrational. Climate change, for instance, matters enormously. So do abortion, guns, crime, education, immigration and foreign policy.