A right-winger; a reactionary

He knows his right-wing political ideas are not very popular, but he knows he can count on the hard hats to support him

Sa benissimo che le sue idee politiche di destra non sono molto popolari, ma sa anche di poter contare sull'appoggio dei conservatori

The term refers to the protective metal or plastic helmet worn by construction workers. The Sunday Mail (Brisbane, June 1970) explains: A "Hard Hat" is a construction worker, but his helmet symbolizes all those beefy blue-collar workers who have suddenly become the knuckleduster on the strong right arm of President Nixon's silent majority