It's a common trope usually referring to poor/middle class people that vote Republican because they believe they will be well-off one day and benefit from lower taxes and less welfare.

It comes from a quote attributed to John Steinbeck: Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat, but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

"temporarily embarrassed millionaires" — http://www.temporarilyembarrassedmillionaires.org/

Reminded an episode of the west wing:

> It doesn't matter if most voters don't benefit. They all believe that someday they will. > That's the problem with the American dream. It makes everyone concerned for the day they're gonna be rich

http://www.westwingtranscripts.com/search.php?flag=getTransc...

example: https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-Ame... "The largely blue collar citizens of Kansas can be counted upon to be a "red" state in any election, voting solidly Republican and possessing a deep animosity toward the left. This, according to author Thomas Frank, is a pretty self-defeating phenomenon, given that the policies of the Republican Party benefit the wealthy and powerful at the great expense of the average worker."