You should read "What's the Matter with Kansas?" by Thomas Frank [1] that discusses this topic at length. Yes, I do think it works: It is possible to persuade people to vote against their material or economic self-interest by inflaming passions around simple, emotionally charged "hot-button" topics that are easy for most voters to understand and react to instinctively.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-Ame...

Best selling books have been written about it. [1]http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-Amer...