I voted Republican, but it's pretty close to a push.
You don't win elections by letting the other team be more blue collar.
Then if say there was a election in 2012 such as Ron Paul/John Stossel vs Barack Obama/Joe Biden, how would they vote then?
In 2008? Probably Obama. Right message at the right time. Biden's a goober but he's a blue collar-friendly goober.
In 2012? Tossup, I'd give a slight edge to Paul until he goes tinfoil hat and scares the bejeezus out of the blue collar types. Blue collar types don't like message without delivery.
I wouldn't consider Ron Paul to be a prototypical blue collar candidate, though. He's a bit of a wonky and weird doctor-as-small-businessman thing.
I don't see Paul doing well with blue collar either. He's socially conservative but has appeal to 9/11 truthers and wants to bring back the gold standard.
His son did well in Kentucky, a blue collar state.