Washington ( CNN ) It 's the new GOP civil war . Republican presidential hopefuls -- all too aware of the party 's disconnect with the middle class -- are in a fierce competition among each other to prove they 're the candidate who can give voice to the struggles of Americans left behind by the uneven economic recovery . The potential 2016 candidates are working to prove that Democrats are n't the only ones sensitive to the nation 's growing economic inequality . The GOP is also trying to move past serious stumbles -- such as Mitt Romney 's infamous 47 % comment -- that created an impression among some middle class voters that the party is out of touch . The effort was on full display Wednesday when Jeb Bush went to Detroit , one of America 's most economically distressed cities , to bemoan the challenges faced by the middle class . `` The recovery has been everywhere but in the family paychecks , '' Bush said . `` The opportunity gap is the defining issue of our time . '' Bush has plenty of competition from fellow Republicans seizing on the economy as they eye the White House . Marco Rubio has devoted a book to the issue . Ted Cruz recently sounded more like a Democratic populist than a GOP firebrand when he lamented the share of income earned by the top 1 % . Scott Walker often stresses his humble origins while Rand Paul boasts of shopping at Walmart . Of course , there are plenty of political upsides to the GOP refining its economic messaging . The appeal to the middle class could blunt similar Democratic talking points and create a contrast to criticisms of Hillary Clinton 's more refined lifestyle . David Winston , the pollster who helped coin the `` where are the jobs '' mantra for House Republicans in 2010 , says the GOP message in 2016 should be just as simple : `` Where is the middle class ? '' But the strategy could be tough to pull off when headline economic numbers are improving . The unemployment rate is 5.6 % -- a level not seen since the precrisis summer of 2008 -- and consumer confidence has bounced back . `` The economy finally feels to be in what we call a self sustaining economic expansion , '' said Stuart Hoffman , chief economist at PNC . `` We 've reached this inflection point . '' That will force the GOP to articulate a more nuanced critique of the economy during the Obama years . There is plenty of data to help them . Median net worth of upper-income families was around $ 640,000 in 2013 , close to seven times the $ 96,500 figure for middle-income families . This was the highest gap in 30 years , according to the Pew Research Center 's analysis of Federal Reserve data released in December . Potential Republican candidates are honing in on prevailing weak spots in the economy , including stubbornly low wages that are not catching up with the rising cost of living and weak labor force participation . They say it 's too soon for Obama and Democrats to trumpet the recovery . `` We are creating a lot more jobs now , but we 're not generating any income ; we 're not attracting people back into the labor force , '' said Douglas Holtz-Eakin , president of the American Action Forum and economic adviser to John McCain in 2008 . `` That 's short of complete victory . '' Still , the GOP focus on the economy could backfire if the party looks like it 's nitpicking in a search of problems or overlooking legitimate improvements . Joseph LaVorgna , chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank , predicted that the unemployment rate would be below 5 % by the end of this year and approach 4 % in 2016 . That would significantly undercut a key GOP talking point that Obama has n't created jobs . `` I 'm not sure how powerful those arguments will be , '' LaVorgna said . `` It 's much easier to make those arguments when the unemployment 's up at 8 % as it was for much of 2012 . `` That 's what Democrats are banking on . `` It takes away a lot of the talking points of the Republicans -- that the sky is falling ... economically , '' said Bill Daley , Obama 's former chief of staff . `` And ( Democrats ) are not on the defensive as much as they would have been a year , a year-and-a-half , two years ago . '' GOP candidates will have to prove they are doing more than stealing Democratic messaging . And then there is the long term . Despite intense debate , neither party has come up with answers to generational economic questions , which go far deeper than the 2008 recession . The United States , like many other developed nations , is locked in a period of structural economic change . Millions of manufacturing and clerical jobs have been outsourced . Technology has made some trades obsolete . And jobs that are being created often pay less and carry fewer benefits than those of the past . But Republicans see an opportunity . There are signs of trouble for Democrats among blue collar workers that the GOP could jump on to improve its hopes of winning swing states . In 2008 , for example , 58 % of white , noncollege graduates voted Republican and 40 % went Democratic . In November 's midterm elections , 64 % of the same demographic voted GOP and 34 % chose Democrats . Improving its standing among those who are slightly better off could also help the GOP in battlegrounds such as Virginia , Florida and Colorado . And some Republicans believe a more inclusive economic argument could help repair ties with the Hispanic community . Progressive commentators say they are glad Republicans are talking about income inequality but doubt their sincerity . David Madland of the Center for American Progress said the GOP might not be denigrating those struggling in today 's economy , but their policies still are a case of `` slapping lipstick on a pig . '' `` There is a radical shift , '' he said . `` To acknowledge a problem is a huge first step . ( But ) the real opportunity lies with the public in making demands that will force the politicians to listen . '' Other analysts argue that while Republicans are talking about helping the middle class , they are blocking attempts by the President to pass laws that would do just that -- for instance , on raising the minimum wage , creating jobs through infrastructure investment and hiking taxes on the rich to pay for middle class tax breaks . `` One thing that you have to watch for is people just tacking the words poverty and inequality onto a pre-existing agenda that has very little to do with addressing those problems , '' said Jared Bernstein , a former top chief economics adviser to Vice President Joe Biden . `` For the most part , I hear lots of the same trickle-down economics that helped to get us into this mess in the first place . ''
Republicans knew after 2012 they had a problem with the middle class . Presidential hopefuls are vying to talk about opportunity gap and poverty . Democrats see a change of rhetoric , not change of policy .