"I Was the Governor of Montana. My Fellow Democrats, You Need to Get Out of the City More."

[brooklynite]

New York Times

I take no joy in sounding the alarm, but I do so as a proud Democrat who has won three statewide races in a rural, red state — the Democrats are in trouble in rural America, and their struggles there could doom the party in 2022.

The warning signs were already there in 2020 when Democrats fell short in congressional and state races despite electing Joe Biden president. I know because I was on the ballot for U.S. Senate and lost. In the last decade and a half, we’ve seen Senate seats flip red in Arkansas, Indiana, North Dakota, and more. Democrats have lost more than 900 state legislative seats around the country since 2008. And in this year’s governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, we saw the Democratic vote in rural areas plummet, costing the party one seat and nearly losing us the other. It was even worse for Democrats down ballot, as Democrats lost state legislative, county, and municipal seats.

The core problem is a familiar one — Democrats are out of touch with the needs of the ordinary voter. In 2021, voters watched Congress debate for months the cost of an infrastructure bill while holding a social spending bill hostage. Both measures contain policies that address the challenges Americans across the country face. Yet to anyone outside the Beltway, the infighting and procedural brinkmanship haven’t done a lick to meet their needs at a moment of health challenges, inflation and economic struggles. You had Democrats fighting Democrats, letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, and desperately needed progress was delayed. It’s no wonder rural voters think Democrats are not focused on helping them.

I was re-elected as Montana’s governor in 2016 at the same time Donald Trump took our state by more than 20 points. It’s never easy for Democrats to get elected in Montana, because Democrats here are running against not only the opponent on the ballot, but also against conservative media’s (and at times our own) typecast of the national Democratic brand: coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist — a bundle of identity groups and interests lacking any shared principles. The problem isn’t the candidates we nominate. It’s the perception of the party we belong to.

Steve Bullock is a co-chair of American Bridge 21st Century. He was the governor of Montana from 2013 to 2021.

[VMA131Marine]

1. Personally, I think it's the rural folks who need to spend more time in the cities

It’s the rural folks who have the narrow cloistered view of life while the city dwellers are exposed to far more diversity on a daily basis in all facets of life.

[brooklynite]

2. You're welcome to tell them that...

...in the meantime, we need to go to where the votes are.

[ForgedCrank]

10. We witness this very thing even here.

I am insulted multiple times a day for being a rural resident, a Christian, and a gun owner. All this from people belonging to my own party. I see this same stuff from the talking heads in the news, fellow Democrats in this forum, Twitter, Facebook, its' everywhere. Sometimes it's difficult to not say anything and just swallow it time after time. This is the sort of stuff that drives division, and as a result, potential voters even further away.
I live in a rural area that is pretty remote. I'm not stupid. I have a degree in my field. I don't hump my guns. I don't worship a "flying spaghetti monster" either. The insults are almost endless.
But I do vote for Democratic candidates despite the continual insults because I try to focus on the policy rather than the people who hate me for some unknown reason.
I have to say, it makes me question my own loyalty from time to time if people really think this way about me. So imagine what your standard undecided or independent voter thinks when they read and hear this stuff. We certainly aren't doing ourselves any favors, that is for sure.

[Mad_Machine76]

18. More care should be given into how we address folks

Not every rural white gun-owning Christian is a close-minded right-wing extremist. But it’s hard not to get frustrated by the actions and ideology of those whom are and know how best to respond

[elleng]

19. Thanks, and sorry.

[Raine]

39. I totally agree. nt

[Freddie]

55. Agree

I’m a Christian and very tired of the veiled insults from our side. No, we’re not all gun-and-Bible totin’ woman-haters, there are in fact a number of denominations with a liberal viewpoint. But many liberals (like my son) can’t be bothered to make a distinction.

[LeftInTX]

108. I see that here on DU, but fortunately not within the official party

[GusBob]

74. I am so with you brother

Great post

I myself hate hate hate going into the city. Absolutely dread it.

Call me a hick, call me a hayseed, call me a redneck, country bumpkin, hill billy or whatever

The county I live in has 15,000 people. It’s an hour into town. Fewer people means fewer idiots, less crime, no traffic, less exposure to COVID-19 The next county over has 6.000 folks. Today I am going hunting up there and will be the only person for hundreds of square miles

[treestar]

93. The people running for office don't do it though

Only extremists on the board. There is always someone to say something crazy.

[SunImp]

158. I'm sorry that you experienced that

Some people here are always rushing to judge when certain groups of people that they dislike are mentioned in the news.
You can be a rural gun loving Democrat or a disillusioned Democrat doing the right thing & they'll judge you as if you are the problem for not thinking or acting like how a Democrat supposedly should. If this board and the Democratic party as a whole pushes these voters away can we still win elections?
For me I think we will need ALL hands on board to fight a coming red wave & any future Trump like monsters

[Progressive Jones]

163. I don't think it's you, personally, that people have problems with.

However, t can't be denied that right wingerism is highly concentrated in the rural areas of certain States and regions of the nation.

We have Trumpers up here in Chicago, too. However, they're a permanent minority, seen as a nuisance, just as I see the Trumpers as a nuisance in general.

My Mom's side of the family consists of rural people from all over Eastern Indiana (plus some "urbans" in Ft. Wayne), and urban people across the South ( Memphis, TN, Birmingham, AL, Roanoke, VA ). They are all educated (college or trade training), and gainfully employed. Some are "lifers" in the US military.

All, except for my one batshit crazy white supremacist/survivalist uncle, are Left Of Center to varying degrees. They are also in the political minority in their various areas.

One common thread running through these rural relatives of mine is the rejection of religious fundamentalism (some are people of faith, but far from fundies).
Another common thread is the absence of any sort of belief that rural people are in any way "more American", or more important than city dwellers.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. This.

They may have Internet and cable TV connections to the outside world, but if they only choose the news that they already agree with, a lot of the world will remain beyond their understanding.

[elleng]

6. Useful?

[GusBob]

79. Not at all

Off topic and not paying attention

We need their votes the urban areas got them already

[LeftInTX]

110. We lost some poor minority urban areas in 2020

Things kinda flipped. We can't take advantage of urban areas either.

Some of the poorest urban zipcodes in the nation had a 10 point swing toward Trump this time.
Even AOC lost voters. She went from 78% in 2018 to 71% in 2020.

We need everyone's vote!

[Ex Lurker]

13. You can't win a congressional majorities solely on urban votes

you can chalk it up to gerrymandering or an outdated constitution, but it's a fact and it's unlikely to change in any of our lifetimes. You have to get voters in at least some rural districts and at least some rural states to elect democrats. And "Hey you ignorant rube, vote for us," is not a strategy likely to work.

[cinematicdiversions]

35. Our you were born with the original sin of racism is not much better.

I am not sure how insulting 75% of voters out the gate is a helpful strategy.

[taxi]

144. I think that starting some scuttlebutt

at the right time could motivate certain rural voters.

[W_HAMILTON]

34. THIS.

It isn't folks from the cities that are always raging about people from the country, yet the rural types are always whining about those from our cities. Furthermore, people from the city aren't actively trying to sabotage and hurt those in the country, whereas rural voters -- and the politicians they vote in to represent them -- certainly try to actively harm those in the cities. I mean, anti-big city rhetoric is a mainstay of the Republican Party, yet there are no serious Democratic politicians that take that same sort of approach against rural voters.

[betsuni]

40. Yes, and it's not as if nobody from small cities and towns across the country move

to cities. Do they think everyone living in cities were born there? Like the idea that most elected Democrats are from elite wealthy city backgrounds -- "coastal elites" -- and therefore out of touch and only think about money. Ridiculous.

[Demsrule86]

72. Looking at voting patterns, it undeniable that cities tend to support Democrats and small

town and rural people vote Republican...we need to change that in terms of small-towns and rural because we have an electoral college and often their votes are worth more than say those in California or New York. We have equal representation in the Senate. How will we have a majority if we can't appeal to rural and small-town voters? We have a 50 50 Senate now...and all our opportunities are in red and purple states.

[DashOneBravo]

125. Some of us

Last edited Sun Dec 5, 2021, 04:28 PM - Edit history (1)

Grow up rural and move to the city, then move to the suburbs. And after many years, move back to rural areas.

When I moved back to where I grew up, there were many who did the same. I’m talking about professional families too. Lots of negative things.

[Cha]

36. We're asking for their VOTES..

so we need to GOTV to them.

[empedocles]

63. Yep

[Demsrule86]

73. We need to pass whatever version of Build Back Better we can and pass the defense bill ... get

as much done as we can...use this to GOTV. If the voters see us as ineffective...not getting any policy through, it is curtains for us...and this is a very important midterm...totally winnable if we stop arguing in Congress and get something done.

[treestar]

97. The Republicans would do worse

Considerably. Why don’t we pint to that rather than giving in to the illogic of punishing themselves with republicans because we can’t get things past due to Republicans? This is insane.

[onetexan]

56. +1 -K&R

[Amishman]

111. It's hard not to have to head into a city periodically

I say this as a rural Democrat who can't stand cities.

Certain good and services are not available in rural areas, so rural Americans do have to go into cities with some frequency.

Where we are losing rural voters is not where you might think at first.

Environmental regs are a frequent gripe. I still hear people griping every year at this time about restrictions on wood burning stoves put in place during the Obama years. There is a ton of hate and blame at our party over gas can designs and ethanol in gasoline.

Gun safety / gun control hurts us a lot out here, and the gun lobby makes sure every gaffe or other over the top statement is well known.

[ripcord]

149. The wood buring stove regulations are a big deal here

Close to 50% of the people heat their homes with wood stoves because of the really high prices heating energy and the fact that the natural gas lines don't cover the entire area.

[RFCalifornia]

201. Agree 100% nt

[elleng]

3. 'The core problem is a familiar one -- Democrats are out of touch with the needs of the ordinary vote

In 2021, voters watched Congress debate for months the cost of an infrastructure bill while holding a social spending bill hostage. Both measures contain policies that address the challenges Americans across the country face. Yet to anyone outside the Beltway, the infighting and procedural brinkmanship haven’t done a lick to meet their needs at a moment of health challenges, inflation and economic struggles. You had Democrats fighting Democrats, letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, and desperately needed progress was delayed. It’s no wonder rural voters think Democrats are not focused on helping them.

I was re-elected as Montana’s governor in 2016 at the same time Donald Trump took our state by more than 20 points. It’s never easy for Democrats to get elected in Montana, because Democrats here are running against not only the opponent on the ballot, but also against conservative media’s (and at times our own) typecast of the national Democratic brand: coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist — a bundle of identity groups and interests lacking any shared principles. The problem isn’t the candidates we nominate. It’s the perception of the party we belong to.

To overcome these obstacles, Democrats need to show up, listen, and respect voters in rural America by finding common ground instead of talking down to them. Eliminating student loans isn’t a top-of-mind matter for the two-thirds of Americans lacking a college degree. Being told that climate change is the most critical issue our nation faces rings hollow if you’re struggling to make it to the end of the month. And the most insulting thing is being told what your self-interest should be. . .

We need to frame our policies, not in terms of grand ideological narratives, but around the material concerns of voters. Despite our differences and no matter where we live, we generally all want the same things: a decent job, a safe place to call home, good schools, clean air and water, and the promise of a better life for our kids and grandkids.

For me, that meant talking about Obamacare not as an entitlement, but as a way to save rural hospitals and keep local communities and small businesses afloat. It meant talking about expanding apprenticeships, not just lowering the costs of college. It meant framing public lands as a great equalizer and as a driver for small business. It meant talking about universal pre-K not as an abstract policy goal, but being essential for our children and for keeping parents in the work force. It meant talking about climate change not just as a crisis, but as an opportunity to create good jobs, preserve our outdoor heritage, and as a promise not to leave communities behind.'

[Progressive Jones]

20. And Biden's agenda isn't good for the entire nation? nt

[elleng]

25. 'The entire nation' is made up as #9 depicts.

[Demsrule86]

80. Biden's agenda is sitting in Congress going nowhere while the progessives demand

paid family leave and the moderates demand spending less and will not support family leave...get what you can, both sides should compromise and get on with it. The entire process makes the party and Biden appear unfocused and weak. Also, people here in Ohio seem to think the January 6 hearings are just a continuation of the fighting between Democrats and Republicans...it is not true of course but that is how some see it. If we don't pass anything and lose the midterms what a waste of time and money. With a compromise, we would get something and like the ACA, we can build on it.

[Mad_Machine76]

23. I really hate how BBB has got bogged down

by pretty much two very recalcitrant Senators and a handful of House members yet the situation gets framed as “Democrats in disarray”

[elleng]

26. Ditto, but, as shown just in this thread, there is a fair amount of 'disarray.'

[Mad_Machine76]

28. Of what widespread disarray do you speak?

[Ex Lurker]

37. About a third of the posts say yes, there is a problem, what do we do about it?

the other two thirds either don't think it's a problem or that it's somebody else's fault.

Even if everything the urban Democrat constituency thinks about rural voters is true, the Democratic Party still needs rural voters. And berating them for voting Republican won't win them over. Democrats have to campaign on what the Democratic platform can do for them-and there is plenty-presented in a way they can relate to. Just as important-and a lot of Democrats aren't going to like this-Democratic campaigns are going to have to downplay those issues that rural voters find repellent. Gun control, abortion and LGBT issues are third rails in a lot of areas. You don't have to compromise your principles, but by the same token you don't have to have them front and center where they're unpopular.

[LeftInTX]

44. When Wendy Davis was talking about her abortion when she ran for governor of Texas

I was like, "Really?". It's one thing to filibuster on women's rights. It's another thing to talk about your abortion.

Beto is messing up this time. Why is he doubling down on grabbing your guns? I don't get it. I would think this could possibly sink a candidate even in a blue state. Oh well, he's the best we've got.

[Freddie]

51. I agree, downplay some of these issues

And FFS, right now don’t use a term like “pregnant people.” That’s just the kind of crap they LOVE to pounce on and change the subject to “Democrats say men get abortions!” when we’re trying to discuss how wrong it is to force anyone to endure childbearing against their will. Not trying to be insensitive, I just know what sets them off.

[LeftInTX]

115. I only see that on DU.

[inthewind21]

196. hey here's a novel idea

How about just talking straight and about doing the right thing and stop worrying about your re-election. THAT is why NOTHING ever gets done. Because it's all about re-election and not about what's best for the country. And it's being advocated right here. At some point enough is enough. Keep playing the republican game and the same results will be had. And I don't want to hear "but we have to keep the majority." Tell me, how's that majority working out now? Matters not if you keep allowing the MINORTIY to have control. You either have voters behind you or you don't. Trying to walk a fine line and compromise at ever turn, well how's that working out?

[Demsrule86]

81. It is fucking ridiculous. Both sides need to get it done and stop the nonsense.

[Mad_Machine76]

123. Biden, Schumer, and Pelosi

seem to be giving into Manchin and Sinema's demands over and over again, but "Manchema" just keep asking for more and then hinting they're not even going to do anything this year (if at all). If there is a version of BBB that Manchema will vote for today, then, sure, the rest of the party should put it up for a vote and vote for it today and get it done (and I believe they would). But what do you do? How do you characterize this as a "both sides" issue?

[Mr.Bill]

148. The problem with Manchin and Sinema,

when it comes to the Biden agenda is they are moving targets. You give in to them on something, even something big, then tomorrow they want something else.

[Mad_Machine76]

152. This "goal-post" moving is getting extremely tiring

Unfortunately, they got their bipartisan infrastructure bill they can now brag about and now they're teasing not doing anything more the rest of this year.

Did we just rush to de-couple and pass that bill because we were smarting over the Virginia loss and needed a quick win?

[Grins]

31. The infrastructure and social spending bills are DEMOCRATIC...

…policies and proposed legislation. The GOP in (almost) lock-step fought against this legislation. The damn too few Republicans that did support it - were attacked by their OWN Party.

If social spending - that Republicans HATE - are important to rural voters, my answer to them when they don’t get it is what I have said for 20-years: “Too bad. You voted Republican.”

[betsuni]

33. +1

[Demsrule86]

82. That is a ridiculous statement. We will lose the midterm for sure and badly if we don't pass

BBB in some form...and likely spend 10 years out of power again with the gerrymander which if we are out of power we can't fight against it. We need to win elections right now...way more important to do this than argue policy. Get what is possible and move on.

[empedocles]

61. Good

[treestar]

98. Republicans are in touch?

How can that be on the issues you cite ?

[haele]

106. It's not that they're in touch. They're pandering to the emotions.

Bullock is sort of right, but also sort of wrong. Poor people and struggling working families are both rural and urban, but the GQP and Media are pushing the Democratic Elite myth so hard that any slight indication that the rural folks need to share attention with urban folks is amplified into "They're against your Church and your traditions - they think you're dumb hicks that need to change".
The myth of the Real American is strong in rural areas - its not just a white privilege attitude, it's a misunderstanding of the actual reason Rural America -the farmers, ranchers, and manufacturing - can survive and thrive. The customer base of Rural America requires an equally thriving majority of urban and international consumers. Not fellow rural folk.

Democratic messaging needs to be ground messaging. That is a given. The candidates need to be out there addressing every constituent not only with the issues, but with the lessons of community inclusion they learned in kindergarten and Sunday School. Patiently. Without pandering. Every constituent is equally important. Each vote is equally important.
Just my opinion.

Haele

[dem4decades]

4. Nothing Democrats can do to get rural voters, they're a cult.

He mentioned Democrats don't help rural voters with health care, what?

They won't even get a free vaccine.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

60. Yes. Rural folks have been subjected to focused, intensive, continuous

brainwashing by RW media and subsequent RW peer pressure for decades.

They are an insular cult, who repeatedly vote against their own interests. Republicans do less than nothing for them, while Democrats do everything we can to help them. RW media has taught them to reject objective media sources out of hand, and only follow and trust RW media, which leaves them fundamentally ignorant of what is really going on in the country and the world.

The very foundation of their belief systems is based in a subjective belief system, that renders them hopelessly ignorant, pathetically stupid, and meaner than rabid hyenas.

These characteristics are clearly illustrated by the prevalence of fascists, Nazis, Qanon, and other RW extremists which comprise the majority of members of the GOP in rural areas.

Folks in cities need to understand that the majority of Republican voters in rural areas only believe the RW lies of RW media, media that is created and used by wealthy private interests to control gullible rural dwellers in order to get them to vote against their own interests, ensuring that wealthy RW private interests can control them, and use them in order to maintain and expand their power and profits, which are accelerating and polarizing at warp speed as the success of their brainwashing of rural folks agenda has grown exponentially over time.

RW media has successfully demonized the Democratic party in rural areas, despite the fact that the Democratic party agenda is infinitely more beneficial to rural folks than the Republican party agenda is.

Add this to the fact that the majority of rural dwellers are inherently racist, sexist, and homophobic, and we get the sum of "Houston, we have a problem".

Bullock is correct on this point: The traitorous Manchins and Sinemas in the Democratic party, who work with the RW extremist GOP to obstruct and destroy the Democratic party, and our humanitarian agenda, are being successful in their goal of destroying the Democratic party by their obstructions.

Democrats don't need to get out of the city to understand this.

I'm an elderly, lifelong Democrat and resident of rural red America, and this is my perspective, based on years of interaction with the rural RW. Make no mistake, Trump has capitalized on their ignorance, stupidity, and racism with his lies, and the majority of the rural RW are now full blown, dangerous fascist extremists.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire

[LiberatedUSA]

66. It isn't just that.

I live in a red area, they won’t vote for anyone that wants to ban semi-automatic weapons. It doesn’t matter how it is framed. They won’t vote for a sheriff that will enforce such a ban.

In other words, there is no way you can frame “I just want to peek in your safe and tell you if this or that rifle is naughty” and get their vote. Especially Beto’s framing of force.

If banning those guns is a must, then some voters must be written off. They still won’t vote for sheriffs that will enforce it anymore than ours won’t enforce immigration law.

[maxsolomon]

161. Good thing banning semi-automatic weapons is a pipe dream.

Despite the despair of some anguished liberals, no one's seizing any guns.

But Gunners sure think it's immanent.

[dem4decades]

69. Funny I'm on a Fishing website, lots of rural folks on it, they bitch and moan about Democtrats and

Socialism.

Then they'll bitch and moan even loader if the State shuts down a free public boat launch for a few days and go berserk if they have to pay a fee to use a privately owned launch.

[GusBob]

92. If rural Americans are such monsters

How did Bullock and Tester get elected?

[dem4decades]

132. Wasn't that in the preTrump era?

Trump has changed everything.

[mountain grammy]

203. Thanks. Good post.

And true from my perspective as a elderly lifelong Democrat living in a red rural county.

[LeftInTX]

117. If every urban minority voted, we would not have to worry about rural votes

But we have a serious turnout issue with urban minority voter turnout.

We try and try and it doesn't work either.

We can't give up both with low turnout voters and rural voters. It's frustrating.

It's physically easier for Democrats to campaign in urban areas, but getting more than 40% of them to vote is like pulling teeth.

It's frustrating on both ends!

[KentuckyWoman]

138. "They" "Them"

It is a lot easier to throw people into one big stereotype than to deal with the realities.

[gratuitous]

7. Rural folks don't like access to health care?

They don't like making more money? They don't like having good schools and smooth roads? Oh, I see; it's "the perception of the party." A perception that's set in place by the favored media outlet of rural America. Yeah, getting out of the city more will certainly do something about that!

[Hoyt]

8. Even if true, " coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist," better than rube

if it comes down to it.

I do agree Democrats should reach out to ignorant white wingers; but, ultimately may need to write them off, as they have written off Democrats.

[Progressive Jones]

17. "Overly educated" isn't even a real thing. Maybe they like their doctors "under educated". nt

[llmart]

103. +1000

So it's OK for them to refer to us as "coastal" (so what if some people live on a coast?) or "overly educated" (that's considered a bad thing in our country?), but it's not OK for us to refer to where they live (the boonies) or that they don't have college degrees or sometimes even high school diplomas (uneducated)?

This sounds to me like another version of "we just need to sit down with Trump voters and talk with them and find out how they feel about the state of the country". You know what? I have no desire to sit down and talk with the likes of the family that just killed and maimed eleven young people.

[Hekate]

9. Amazing

[Progressive Jones]

12. Thank You ! nt

[GusBob]

89. Yep. Coastal elites who can only win in urban areas

Thanks for proving his point!

[Mariana]

102. Trump is a coastal elite.

Yet the majority of rural Christian voters enthusiastically cast their ballots for him.

[LeftInTX]

113. Trump is an enigma..LOL

[uponit7771]

136. No he's not, He's a coastal elite asshole who appeals to other assholes or lesser angels of huma

[radius777]

206. Exactly. Trump of New York played into rural xtian desire

to be seen as the 'real Americans' who are above all other groups... Reagan of California did the same. The old Dem Party led by FDR of New York used to do this but the modern day Dem party does not, instead seeking a more diverse idea what 'American' means. This is fundamentally at the core of rural rage at Dems.

[llmart]

104. +a gazillion!

I vacationed in Montana one time and one of the first statistics I learned from a resident when I told him I was from the Detroit area, he said, "You know there are more people in the metro Detroit area than there are in the entire state of Montana."

[Progressive Jones]

11. Um, this Democrat IS an ordinary voter. I'm tired of this

"you gotta understand the "rurals" game.
When do rurals ever attempt to learn anything about urban people, outside of what rw propaganda fills their heads with?
Rural people make up no more than a quarter of the population. Why do they always want special treatment?
I never had any problem with rural people until all I was hearing about was "big city people
ignore us", and other "victimhood" whining.

Take a city like Chicago out of the economy for a while. This nation would crumble quickly.

[Mad_Machine76]

14. Or California

[Progressive Jones]

15. That would make everything screech to a halt in hours. nt

[Mad_Machine76]

24. Yep

[Freddie]

52. They're only 1/4 of the population, but

Thanks to gerrymandering, the nature of the Senate, and the Electoral College, their votes count more than yours or mine. And we can’t solve this because of the 2/3 states rule of getting a Constitutional amendment. Hell, we can’t even get equal rights for women because of this systematic minority rule.

[Demsrule86]

83. Trump won PA in the rural areas and it does matter.

[betsuni]

16. The author doesn't understand why people vote Republican, doesn't understand

the Democratic Party. Total bullocks.

[brooklynite]

21. The former Democratic Governor of Montana doesn't understand the Democratic Party.....

good to know.

[betsuni]

27. How are Democrats "out of touch with the needs of the ordinary voter"?

I don't understand why he says that. The Democratic base aren't rural white people, and the ones "out of touch" who ignore their economic needs are Republicans. Besides, Republican voters are better off financially than Democratic voters.

[Mad_Machine76]

29. Inquiring minds want to know this as well!

We push policies that would help everybody in the country, including rural voters and get attacked and smeared for them by Republicans and then a lot of rural voters hate us and vote Republican based on the lies and smears. It’s hard to know what else to do. I can’t help but feel that when I read things like this what we are really being asked to do is pander to some of their racist or bigoted beliefs or other views that are harmful to other people or that they just think we should elevate their concerns and priorities over other people’s, which, of course what Republicans are always willing to do, hence why they usually keep winning their votes (unless they actually support Republican “policies” in which case, again, how do we win them over without just becoming Republican-lite ourselves?)

[LeftInTX]

41. Things that drive rural voters nuts:

Anti-GMO stuff - The anti-GMO stuff is plain old woo. It happened because a handful of small farmers who could not afford GMOs got together and created a bunch of conspiracy theories about GMOs. The world believes the conspiracy theories. GMOs are safe. Whether they are economically fair is another story.

Banning herbicides and pesticides. Everyone wants unsafe products banned. However a judge recently reversed most of the Round-Up lawsuit awards. I've used Round-Up for years. It is one of the safest herbicides. It does not move in soil. Now we are stuck with less safe herbicides. The woo about Round-Up comes from the same group that is anti-GMO. Many GMO's are "Round-Up Ready" products, so Round-Up is the punching bag. Round Up does not persist in vegetation.

Are you considering purchasing hay/straw as mulch for your garden or compost? Please do not...Much of it has been treated with a toxic herbicide which will kill all the dicots in your garden. This is not a conspiracy theory. No one knows about this crap because they're too busy bitching about Monsanto, but Monsanto has been out of business for a few years. .https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/herbicide-carryover
Additionally, some of this nasty product has made it's way into some purchased bulk composts and mulches. Fortunately, you won't find it in most bagged mulches or compost. It is important to know the source of the compost...But geez....lots of schiesters dump their stuff at composting centers...

Organic farming - It ain't all it's cracked up to be: Listeria and E-coli outbreaks anyone???

Water projects - Being anti-water projects is really not good in warm climate, droughty areas. Yet, there are many urban dwellers who want no more new water sources. It drives me nuts because for awhile, we could not water our lawns, Thank God my city now has a water supply fee, because 30 years ago, the anti-fluoride and anti-water project people made all of that stuff impossible.

Fracking...Oil is ugly and it sucks. But we all drive vehicles. It's not going away.

BTW: I live in a city of 1.5 million. I'm an urban person, but I'm also a master gardener.

[Mad_Machine76]

127. So, basically abandon a lot of the environmentalist stuff?

If one cares to be able to continue gardening and having sustainable food production for an ever-growing population, wouldn't we need to have the proper environment in which to be able to continue doing so?

[LeftInTX]

129. Common sense...not woo

We have eliminated an herbicide and remaining herbicides are not as safe.

We need water projects to sustain agriculture.

[Mad_Machine76]

130. I agree it should be backed by good science

whatever we do/support

[LeftInTX]

131. Yes, our horticulture agent is one of the smartest ag guys I know (at least in ag LOL)

He warns us not to come up with woo and insists that we follow the science and only distribute articles from .edu publications.

Unfortunately, he's extremely right winged politically. He was raised in city, his family owned nurseries. We do put politics aside though. He is the best agent that we've ever had. Really sharp and explains things so that the general public understands it. (He speaks to consumers, not farmers)

When it comes to horticulture, there is alot of conflicting info that isn't even woo, so it's a challenging job.LOL

Right now we've got gardeners who believe the weather predictions in the Farmers Alamanac...I'm sure many of those gardeners are Republican. I'm sure some are also Democratic. The Farmers Almanac weather prediction is woo.

[Mariana]

167. "We have eliminated an herbicide".

Who did that? It certainly wasn't the Federal government.

https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/glyphosate

[LeftInTX]

175. Round Up will no longer contain Glyphosate

https://modernfarmer.com/2021/07/bayer-to-stop-residential-sales-of-roundup-by-2023/

It will still be available for agriculture.

It might be available for home consumers as a generic or in other brands.
Usually these companies compete with each other, so once glyphosate is gone from roundup products, who knows what the competitors will do???

[Mariana]

182. One company stopped using it in one brand of products. BFD.

Glyphosate products are available for purchase - and lots cheaper than the Round-Up brand, too.

How can we make progress with rural voters if they're so eager to believe utter falsehoods like "we have eliminated an herbicide [glyphosate]" when no such thing has happened?

[LeftInTX]

38. The Democratic base does not win elections

It wins primary elections, but not general elections...unless you're in a super safe district...like AOC is in.

[betsuni]

45. The working class is the Democratic base.

[LeftInTX]

47. I thought it was people who voted in Democratic Primaries?

The base is who determines becomes the candidate.

Unfortunately, the base is often skewed. (Not so much in presidential primaries)
Sometimes a good candidate will lose a primary because they have an Anglo name. A voter walks in the voting booth: "I'm gonna vote for Joe Biden in the Primary. He'll beat Trump".
Then the voter is hit with dozens of other down ballot names says "I like the name Guadalupe Garcia"..Guadalupe's opponent is Tom Jones. Tom Jones is the incumbent and has done a great job. Guadalupe wins the primary, but is flaky and does not have a good grasp on the issues.

Beto O'Rourke almost lost the primary to someone named Sema Hernandez. It was because of her name. She was horrible candidate. However, voters voted for her because she was a Latina.

[betsuni]

49. ...

[uponit7771]

140. THIS !!!! ☝🏾☝🏾☝🏾

[radius777]

207. Black voters (ie, the Dem base) in big cities like Milwaukee, Detroit, Philly

and Atlanta helped Biden win those swing states and the 2020 election.

[FelineOverlord]

68. That has changed

Republican voters are better off financially than Democratic voters.

That's not true anymore. The blue areas are the wealthiest and most highly educated.

I know this because of my own experience. I live in one of the 10 wealthiest Congressional districts.

Unfortunately, we lost Virginia this year, but we'll get it back!

https://stanfordreview.org/stanford-revolt-of-the-suburbanities/

[uponit7771]

139. "The Democratic base aren't rural white people" ... Yep and it's hard to get that out of people's he

Because we usually want to relate the people who are like us or that we can relate to

I still do think we can reach rural America if we put more infrastructure in it. We should copy the mechanics of the Republican message machine and not the message we can beat them at their own game whoop their ass with it

[empedocles]

64. Adept response

[GusBob]

90. A Democrat who wins rural elections

Him and Tester both

[radius777]

151. Bullock is as clueless about Dems as Christie is about Repubs.

Bullock is from a deep red state as Christie is from a deep blue state. Both were elected in a time before Trump/social media/alt-right which has changed the nature of American politics.

Biden (a son of the Rust Belt, who made an effort to campaign in small towns) did not do better in rural areas than Hillary did.

[elleng]

22. I don't think so. 'I Was the Governor of Montana.'

[Zeitghost]

126. Sure

What would a Democrat who won two terms as Governor in a solidly red state know about how to get elected...

[sir pball]

177. A two-term Dem governor doesn't understand Dems?

[ymetca]

30. Sure, I'd love to live in the country

but can't afford to.

Go ahead. Take a long drive in the country and you'll soon find that most of it is owned by a handful of really rich folks who spend their days monoculture mega-farming, fracking the aquafers into oblivion, and killing the rivers with slaughterhouse waste.

And to ensure they keep their rackets going, they spend their extra gazillions financing hate radio and buying off politicians.

Most rural States have a handful of people who pretty much run the whole show.

D.C. ain't got nothin' on just how corrupt rural America is.

Spare me the sympathy for a tiny minority holding this nation in a death grip.

[Freddie]

57. And their votes count for more than ours

An infuriating fact.

[Kid Berwyn]

32. New York City has more people than 37 states.

Their problems may be different, but they’re both due to bastard billionaire tax dodgers and their fascist henchmen.

[andym]

42. Congressional District Maps by Population shows why Gov Bullock cant be ignored

This map colors codes population per square mile onto congressional districts. The colors are log base 10, that means each color increase in darkness means a 10 fold increase in population density.
Note that the map is distorted, the congressional districts do not align with the underlying geography very well-- NY illustrates this quite well.

The map and the one below show the relative power of rural populations under the US system.

Here's Another one with somewhat better geographical localization from 2018-- still distorted though:

[ffr]

43. That doesn't add up at all. R's rule by winning the popular minority. Dems win popular majority

What a crock of shit! Dems are out of touch? Then why are we winning the majority of votes? No, we're not winning elections because electoral maps are all fucked up and Republicans are stealing elections,

BECAUSE
REPUBLICANS
CANNOT
WIN
ON
THEIR
POLICIES!

[betsuni]

46. +1

[Freddie]

58. Winning the majority of votes does not always mean winning elections

In our truly f***ed-up “system.”

[uponit7771]

141. Democrats still do not understand the efficacy of voter suppression voter denial and vote nullificat

[LeftInTX]

48. We also have a similar issue with low income minority voters

Last edited Sun Dec 5, 2021, 04:49 AM - Edit history (1)

We have a serious voter turnout issue.

However, we persist with it. We don't give up on them. The stats are dismal. We work out buts off in some low income neighborhood. I thought one of the volunteers was doing everything right. She had good emotional bonds with the voters. (Something that motivates people to vote) She had good contact with voters. She would go to their homes and have fairly long chatty conversations with them. Still in November, she did not move the needle. 38% turnout.

We still persist with this voting bloc. The Republicans are scooping them up. We caught a bunch of Democrats at a Republican conversion event the other day.

We should persist with rural voters as well. Every vote counts. Each district is different. Texas has 150 house districts and 31 senate districts. Many of them are rural. Do we not enlist candidates to run in these districts? Do we stay home and don't bother competing?

[Tomconroy]

50. Wracking up large majorities in urban and areas doesn't

really get it done in terms of the electoral college. That's why we almost lost in 2020.
If you want to win over a segment of voters first you have to go talk to them.

[ck4829]

53. He *was* the governor of Montana - Who's governor now? Greg Gianforte...

The guy who physically assaulted a reporter and lied about it.

Rural people are making their values about dialogue and reaching out crystal clear.

[dalton99a]

116. +1.

[JI7]

54. Why are they voting for people like Gianforte and Trump ?

And if they have a problem with Democrats in Congress why do they vote for the Republicans who support none of those issues that you claim they care about ?

Could it be because there are some other issues that they care about that you didn't mention ?

[Celerity]

59. this is a real message to build party untiy around.......NOT:

Get out of the cities and you will learn we have a libertarian streak, with a healthy distrust of government.

Distrust of government is NOT healthy, it is a sign of a society in serious decay-

It also is voter suppression.

Why the hell would people vote for something they do not trust???

Bullock sure as hell never spewed this tosh when he was running for POTUS

Also, I am sick to hell of this framing about 'elites' and 'over-educated' and 'coastal values'

As if being less educated and open to allowing a certain level of bigotry, prejudice, etc etc (make NO mistake, that is what a lot of this so-called anti 'big city values' is about) is somehow morally ok, if not outright superior.

It is not like you have a lot of Jeffersonian-style rural agrarian deep-thinking philosopher gentry out in the rural areas running things in a noble way. The ironic thig is, that there are some sort of semi renaissance people types out there playing their trade in craft arenas (ultra high end boutique food, wine, beer, etc innovators) BUT the vast majorly moved there from the major metro areas and have great educations.

You know, the type of knowledge and learning that the anti-intellectual rural folk detest, fear and hate. The types of people they call city slicker book-learned folk (and worse names than that, I can assure you).

[mountain grammy]

204. Exactly

Bullock, a good man and 2 term governor was defeated by a rwnj and look who’s governor now. I like Steve Bullock but he’s a bit wrong here. Nobody votes for republicans on policy. They don’t have any. Just hate.

[phylny]

62. I live in rural red Virginia.

Seventy-five percent of the people in my county vote Republican. They hate Democrats. They have poor broadband and crappy schools. They love their guns. They love their churches. And they love Trump.

[empedocles]

65. Of some people I know who have a farm - seems to be an identity thing.

- bolstered by fox's version of who leads the Democratic party - reinforced leading up to the Va. Guv elections by Progressives holding out loudly against Biden trying to get things done.

[Celerity]

198. Because of the force multiplier effect that comes from political control in the US,

the christofascistic, white nationalist, anti democractic (small d), pro-violence and pro-oligarchic US Republican party is the most dangerous structural political element on the planet.

The only endgame, in terms of a truly holistic correction in order to regain the previous order and previous balance when the US Constitutionality-mandated form of governance comes truly loose from its moorings and begins to disintegrate is, unfortunately, kinetic civil war. This has already played out once before.

If the Rethugs actually do win both chambers in 2022 and then, in 2024, retain both, plus take back the Presidency, I fear we are at that 'loose from its moorings point', especially if they take back POTUS via some horrific Electoral College corrupt power play.

The bad thing is, this time, IF they do get away with a fascist auto-coup, kinetic civil war likely will not work to restore the previous order and systemic balance, at least not without the Union of the States being rent asunder first. The RW is too geographically dispersed.

There also is the HUGE issue of who controls the US armed forces and the nuclear stockpiles. If the Rethugs control both for the most part, and say, 10 or so years from now, California says (after a long series of Rethug attempts to nationalise christofascism as they will have federal tripartite control) that they (and likely some other big Blue states) are out, well, I can see a Rethug POTUS/quasi-dictator sending in the US armed forces, or, given a worst case scenario, a limited, tactical nuclear strike.

A dystopian hellscape.

[rownesheck]

67. The problem isn't "democrats not reaching out".

The problem is rural voters who don't understand that the republicans in congress WILL NOT VOTE FOR SOCIAL SPENDING PROGRAMS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD HELP THOSE PEOPLE! And when they look at the other side and see that republicans have no agenda other than tax cuts for the ultra wealthy and destroying democracy, then they either agree with that, or they aren't intelligent enough to understand how that hurts them.

So, if they only vote on god, guns and abortion, and don't look at shit that actually matters, I really don't see how talking to them is gonna help. I lived in rural Texas for years. Most of those people are beyond help.

[Keepthesoulalive]

70. That is why they gerrymander

Because you won’t reach these folks.

[JHB]

71. This all circles back to having no counterpart to conservative media

Conservative media goes on at length, 24/7, about why Democrats are monsters and idiots and nefarious plotters who hate you and people like you and want to destroy your way of life!!!! Anything a Democrat or someone on the left says anything that can be extracted and spun to incite fear and anger will be sent far and wide with maximum amplification through radio, cable, websites, Facebook, etc.

Mainstream media will tag along behind, feeling that they must cover it because "it's out there", and to prove they don't have "liberal bias" they'll both sides it to death. Lazy journalist won't do, y'know, journalism and would rather report "Democrats in disarray! Nobody knows what's in the bill!" because it's not as if the expectation for them is to find stuff out and tell everybody.

So what's left after getting through those filters? What is in the Democrats' corner putting a message out there where people can hear and see it every day? Where people will pick up on it? Where it can be tailored and pitched regionally? Pretty much bupkis.

Is there any kind of "50-state media strategy"? There are blue dots in red states all across the country. Some of them blog and podcast, even here and there a radio or local cable show.

There needs to be constant contact, a regular part of peoples' lives. That's how to change perception (at least for all but those who aren't just gone), to turn off the alarm bells and show where there's common ground.

Without that, all that happens is that Republicans call everything "socialist" and people run away from the very things that they're asking for.

[dalton99a]

114. +1.

[Downtown Hound]

75. LOL. Those morons would rather die than wear a mask or take a free vaccine

Let me give you an example of reaching out to these people.

"You should get a Covid vaccine. It's free and safe and billions of people have gotten theirs with little side effects. Those who have gotten it are much less susceptible to getting Covid and severe Covid if they do get infected."


"Screw you! I got rights! You ain't putting that poison in my body!"

"It's not poison. It's proven safe and effective and has literally billions of successful..."

"Shut up commie! I ain't takin' no vaccine. Covid's a hoax anyways the liberals concocted to rid us of the greatest president we ever had Donald J. Trump."

And then when Covid rates and death counts spike in red areas,

"This is all Biden's fault!"

[LeftInTX]

119. And we see people on DU say that Republicans are gonna lose because they died of Covid

Really???

I figured we might be losing about 100 Republicans per million due to Covid.

So that's about .01% change in an election result.


That's gonna make a dent..

If Abbott and DeSantis thought that they were losing enough voters to flip their re-election, they would have the strongest mask mandates and vaccine mandates in the country.

[malletgirl02]

76. Rural voters find Democrats judgemental?

I find that funny when, rural voters are some of the most judgmental people around.

[TheFarseer]

77. Our problem is not policies

It’s delivery and more importantly messaging. We are getting strawmanned like you wouldn’t believe in rural areas. Everything some fringe lefty tweets is suddenly the “Biden” agenda. It’s pretty crazy. Everything we actually stand for is “actually a Republican idea”. If we ever get something immensely popular like Medicare negotiating prescription drug prices or elder care or legal marijuana, it will be credited to Republicans. Just watch. We need to get busy and pass popular legislation. It might help to just pass it and not try to bury it in a bill with tons of less popular ideas.

Say what you want about Republicans but they deliver. They delivered tax cuts for billionaires, stopped anything for climate change or gun violence, and they seem to be poised to end abortion.

[Demsrule86]

85. Yes and that is the point...time to stop arguing among ourselves and work something out.

We need to prove we can deliver...we won't have another chance anytime soon if we fail now.

[LeftInTX]

121. They will own the marijuana thing...It actually had a good chance of passing in Texas

This was before Covid etc.

It didn't go anywhere in the 2021 session, but Republican told me back in the fall of 2019 that it was gonna pass. Marijuana is being framed as a rural economic issue.

[Elessar Zappa]

78. What exactly are we supposed to do

to win over rural voters? Biden’s agenda helps them. Obama’s ACA helped them too, especially expanded Medicaid but many rural people hate Obama. I’m sorry but I think racism and fake cultural issues motivate them more.

[Demsrule86]

87. Send in people to campaign there...start a grass roots movement start with local government.

We need to win hearts and minds. We have no ability now to hold a solid majority in the Senate. Look at the map. What happens when Manchin is gone or Sherrod Brown...where will our majority come from?

[Elessar Zappa]

88. I would love it if we could start winning in rural areas.

I’m open to any and all ideas on how to accomplish this.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

84. .

Despite our differences and no matter where we live, we generally all want the same things: a decent job, a safe place to call home, good schools, clean air and water, and the promise of a better life for our kids and grandkids.

This is a very nice sentiment, and true to some extent. The issue is, everyone wants that for themselves, but some don't necessarily want it for other people who they feel don't "deserve" it, and some are willing to go without if that means other people go without. And that's beyond urban and rural.

[GusBob]

86. Jon Tester is Senator from Montana

He wins elections and is well respected. He is a rancher from Big Sandy, a small town without a stop light. It’s one of my fave places in Montana. Ok well it has a great bar.
But you know what? That bar is always full of friendly people who don’t mind this old hippie that works with the tribes.
Once they get to know the issues I work with amongst the Natives, we usually find common ground

Yes I drink with rural Trumpers call me a traitor

[GusBob]

91. I wonder how many rural DUers there are actually

I get the impression not a lot

Would be an interesting survey poll

[honest.abe]

99. I was until I was 21.

Grew up on a rural farm and went to university and never went back.

[GusBob]

101. I grew up in a township that had 17 people

Went to University and got the hell back into the country as soon as a could

There seems to be more assholes per capital in urban areas. Rural folks may not be perfect but you are not surrounded by them

[honest.abe]

147. No doubt there are more assholes in the cities..

but I can tolerate or avoid them given the vast benefits urban life offers.

[GusBob]

185. I must be an asshole magnet

Every time I step into the city I encounter scummy assholes

What exactly are the vast benefits?

[honest.abe]

186. My opinion of benefits will probably be different from yours..

But here are a few..

— job opportunities
— quality of healthcare
— many and varied entertainment options
— many and varied shopping options
— quality of education.. depending on location
— access to airports
— access to museums and other educational facilities

Of course you can make of list of negatives of urban life just as long. It just depends on what you value most.

[GusBob]

191. Yeah see

None of those things has any appeal to me or the people I know out here with the exception of healthcare for one guy. Life is simpler here, we are the type of folks who cut our own Christmas trees and decorate it with pine cones and strung popcorn for example, not shit you buy at WalMart. Maybe cuz the nearest WM is 50 miles away. We don’t really need options for shopping and entertainment. Don’t want them either.

Airports see, really? Ranching and Farming is a 24/7 occupation. I know folks who never leave the state. Hell one fella has never left the county his adult life after high school sports. They have no time nor interest in traveling

Bullock is spot on, city folks have no clue about country life

[honest.abe]

192. As I said in a post upstream I grew up on a farm.

So I for one am well aware of life in rural America. Although I did enjoy growling up on a farm but as I got older I wanted more.

[betsuni]

193. Like "Little House on the Prairie"!

I grew up in a town so small there was only one traffic light. This week moved to my husband's small rural hometown. People are people. City people come here to the country and drown in rivers, get attacked by bears -- they don't understand nature. Country people go to cities and get nervous because of traffic and crowds and how everything's expensive. So what?

[GusBob]

195. So we are not Nazis

See post 162

People are people, yep. I much prefer the company of country folk myself

[Casady1]

209. How is this type of disdain

of urban people helpful. First off how would you know that the "assholes" in the city are republicans or democrats. Remember the suburbs are typically more republican than democrats.
Secondly, I sold cash registers in Rural Ga so I am very familiar with the rural areas. I don't think any one area is more "assholey" than another.

If the rural people were being helpful to urban people they would help us keep our voting rights but i hear little from rural people to help "city" people. It is a two way street here.

This column explains Trump's popularity but also the mindset of rural people very well. The rural people are looking for revenge. City people might be assholes but I don't think they are looking for revenge.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-jennings-trump-republicans-clinton-election-20190310-story.html

[llmart]

107. I grew up in a rural area.

I live in a rural area. I've never voted for a Republican in my 72 years.

[Bettie]

133. I live in a small town in a rural county

there are Democrats here, but fewer than when I moved here 20 years ago.

Why? Hate radio and Fox news; now there are MAGATs everywhere.

In the 4th of July parade this year, silence when the Republican party float went by, but when a truck with a stupid MAGA flag on it came by, a lot of them cheered and went nuts...on the other hand applause and cheers for the Democratic party float was nice to hear.

[EarlG]

94. If Steve Bullock has all the answers

How come he lost his 2020 Senate race by ten points?

Shouldn’t he have won by a mile and showed us all how to do it?

[GusBob]

100. Maybe that's his point

He knows why he lost and why we are losing in rural areas nationwide

A good politician understands voter sentiment, no?

There are always lessons learned in every success as well as every failure

[EarlG]

112. I dunno about that

Last edited Sun Dec 5, 2021, 12:16 PM - Edit history (1)

He says Democrats lose because there’s a perception that the party is out of touch — and does so in a New York Times op-ed which reinforces the very stereotypes that he says are costing us votes.

He describes rural voters as “ordinary voters” as if anyone who doesn’t live in the countryside isn’t ordinary.

He uses the following buzzwords: “coastal, overly educated, elitist, judgmental, socialist.”

He says “the infighting and procedural brinkmanship haven’t done a lick meet their needs.” The Affordable Care Act didn’t do a lick to meet rural voters’ needs? The infrastructure bill isn’t going to do a lick to meet rural voters’ needs? While Republicans pass nothing but tax cuts for the rich?

He complains that there’s a negative perception of Democrats and then spends an awful lot of words explaining that those perceptions are correct: that Democrats suck and don’t do anything for anybody.

Useful advice, or sour grapes from a guy who got crushed in his last election by the “ordinary voters” he claims to know so well?

[GusBob]

170. He lost because he is tagged as a Democrat

Ima quote Bill Clinton when he slapped down an aide
‘spoken like a true city slicker’

How many rural folks we have on this forum?

?

[EarlG]

188. But he won the Governor's race in 2016

The year that Trump won the presidency and Republicans held the House and Senate. Then he lost in 2020, the year Biden won the presidency and Democrats retained control of the House and took the Senate.

What did Bullock do right in 2016 that he did wrong (to the tune of a 10 point loss) in 2020?

Did the Democrats somehow turn all coastal-elitist between 2016 and 2020? And if so, why did they do better in 2020 nationally than they did in 2016?

[brooklynite]

189. Answer: what voters look for in a State race is different from a Senate race...

[GusBob]

190. I don't know the answer

The mean guy won, the nice guy lost

I will tell you this as a rural resident, a hunter and gun owner: there is buyers remorse amongst the natives. Between Daine’s and Giaforte our state’s resources are being sold out to highest out of state bidders.

Outdoors folks are pissed. They think Dems want to grab their guns and ammo. Turns out their votes went to guys who want to sell access to their game and restrict their access to the outdoors and wilderness areas

This is the sort of thing Dems need to pay attention to.

[honest.abe]

95. I grew up on a rural farm and moved to an urban area because I wanted to experience more in life.

I think those in rural America are simple brainwashed by RW media and we will have a hard time reaching them no matter what we do. I think a more fertile area are younger people in Purple states and districts who currently don't vote. If we can reach them we will win alot more elections.

Also, there are hot button issues that works in many Red rural areas like abortion, guns, gay rights, taxes, environmental restrictions. These are issues we cant give up so if they cant accept these then we cant reach them.

[DenaliDemocrat]

96. Rural voters vote for guns. They also equate Democrats

As weak and sissified.

[Mariana]

105. They equate Democrats with Satan.

A lot of people ignore the role of the churches in all this, but the fact is that an awful lot of Christian churches promote the Republican party and candidates. Some of them do it openly, some of them are more sneaky about it, but the message is clear - God wants them to vote Republican.

[DenaliDemocrat]

118. Yeah but evangelical churches are generally not huge

In rural areas except maybe the south. Around here they are much more likely to be Lutheran or Methodist.

[Mariana]

143. The majority of Christian voters overall cast their ballots for Trump in 2016.

The numbers were very little different in 2020. He got the overwhelming majority of the Evangelicals, but it wasn't just them who supported him. He could not have taken office without those Christians' votes, and they should not be deprived of their fair share of the credit for his disastrous presidency.



https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/how-the-faithful-voted-a-preliminary-2016-analysis/

[DenaliDemocrat]

145. I not sure about these numbers

Revised said Hillary won the Catholic vote. Biden and Trump split Catholics 50/50 or 49/50 depending on your source

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/04/06/new-data-suggest-clinton-not-trump-won-catholic-vote

[Mariana]

157. He still won the majority of Protestant Christians

who are the majority of Christians by far in the United States. There are more than twice as many Protestant Christians as Catholic Christians. Those Protestants include the white Evangelical Christians who overwhelmingly voted for Trump - and who still support him today.

[DenaliDemocrat]

160. Evangelical churches and Southern Baptists

Are a plague. Their theology is so far removed from orthodox teachings, it’s hard to call them Christians.

[Mariana]

174. They are a plague.

Their theology isn't all that far out there, as Christianity goes. They believe Christ was/is divine, was born of a virgin, he had a ministry, he was crucified and resurrected, he ascended to heaven, and he forgives the sins of the faithful. Pretty standard Christian stuff, yes?

Their behavior is another matter entirely. The only way to change that is to convince them they're doing Christianity wrong. Nay idea how to go about doing that?

[DenaliDemocrat]

184. No. Double pre-destination is heresy

Because it makes everything pre-determined and nullifies free will, in direct conflict with orthodox teaching

[LeftInTX]

109. One challenge Democrats have with rural is physical outreach

It's hard to go door-to-door and it's hard to obtain correct phone numbers.

[Spider Jerusalem]

120. Only around 1/6th of the US population is rural (n/t)

[bluestarone]

122. The QTHUGS had a plan. 2020 When TFG gave huge payouts to farmers.

I feel this was done for their votes! Gonna be really hard to get their votes now! I don't have the answer BUT we really need one!

[2 Meow Momma]

124. This is a prime example of decades long successful messaging by the right.

Repubs have been playing the long game by making lies become truth in the eyes of people that don’t keep up with national news or watch cspan. These lies are passed through the rural areas and small towns in coffee shops and church get togethers, etc...word of mouth. Over the years, the impressions stuck.

I’m in my 60s and have watched this happen in small towns I’ve lived in...towns that were majority Democratic. All the policies Dems have passed to help regular folks are erased by wagging tongues.

[LeftInTX]

128. We need to stop the "climate change disaster" narrative

Yes, climate is changing.
Yes, there are things we can do.

But, we aren't going to burn in hell in 20 years. Florida has not sunk in the ocean yet.

Yes, sea levels are rising, but there are also things that have been done to mitigate it in low level areas. Even Republicans have quietly been on-board at the local level.

We also get overly wrapped up in the Christopher Columbus villain narrative. Every October, I end up researching him. Some of the rape and pillage attributed to Columbus was old colonial British propaganda. All of the colonial people were flawed, but they were a product of their time and for best of worst that is why most of us live here.

[Celerity]

134. rubbish

We need to stop the "climate change disaster" narrative

Yes, sea levels are rising, but there are also things that have been done to mitigate it in low level areas.

you were pushing fracking up above as well

smdh

If you want to blow out the 40 and under vote, AND fuck up the planet, you are on a good path.

[LeftInTX]

142. I'm not pushing fracking, but it's not going away. There is not an easy answer

Things are being done on the local level to address rising sea levels.

It's a fine tune messaging thing. We can mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions without "The sky is falling down" narrative. They laugh at us.

There is a difference between disappeared into the ocean and rising sea levels.
There is a difference between storm surge and sinking into the ocean.
Storm surge is made worse by rising sea levels, but storm surge is temporary.
Some of New Orleans is below sea level, yet you can walk around New Orleans almost any day except when there is flooding.

[hatrack]

135. Yes, go to where most voters aren't, counties and regions marinated in hate radio . . .

Where megachurches and meth labs chew the few remaining dollars off the carcass of the American Dream (enriching preachers and for-profit prison companies in the process), where rugged independent hypocrites hate the feds, but love, Love LOVE those sweet, sweet federal dollars.

Right-o.

[brooklynite]

146. Thank you for reinforcing Governor Bullock's point...

You threw out a slew of liberal cliches about Red State voters. Electorates, even in rural Counties, are far more complex if you're willing to evaluate them seriously.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton assumed that all she had to do to win was appeal to Obama voters in base communities. She got more votes than he did in Cleveland. She got far fewer votes than he did in rural areas.

[hatrack]

202. Do you live in a red state? Did you grow up in a small town, "Brooklynite"?

Judging by your name, I'd say the answer is "no", though I'm happy to stand corrected.

I live in a malignantly red state and grew up in a very small town in that state, and I'd be willing to bet that I have a better handle on the attitudes and beliefs of people out here than you do.

Collar counties and suburbs, and even first ring rural counties are going to be well worth time and money for the foreseeable future. But in rural counties out here - i.e. most of the state - "Fuck Biden" flags have proliferated like mushrooms after a rain.

And even if some rural voters can be reached, what's the mathematical point? Moving the needle in Cedar County, MO (Population 14,000, 82.2% Trump 2020) or Rawlins County, KS (Population 2,600, 83.9% Trump 2020) to the point that they only vote 72% GOP in the next election?

[ismnotwasm]

137. So racism isn't a problem?

Because it is in every single place I know of red or blue. Democrats may be “out of touch” but what, exactly are we proposing to do to be “in touch” with rural communities?

[radius777]

150. Yawn, another lame 'white guy at a diner' type of analysis

that as usual that fails to look at history and how we got here. Once Dems embraced civil rights and women's rights the white working class (not just in rural areas, but perhaps it's more pronounced there) fled for Nixon and Reagan's GOP. Ronnie Raygun of course the great hero of the working class lol.

All politics are tribal and people vote on not just economic but also cultural issues. We will never get social conservatives. Our best bet is to reach out to and mobilize the culturally liberal/moderate elements (ie, those who are less religious and pro-choice) of the white working class. We are losing them in recent years for a variety of reasons but we can win them back.

We do need to solve the gun violence issue while not impacting rural folk.

We need to solve climate by promoting the national security benefits of it (freedom from Middle East oil and wars) as well as the economic benefit (green energy is the future).

Another flashing red light is we are doing worse with males across the board as well as Latinos (many of whom live in rural areas) in recent years.

I think the perception that Dems are for open borders hurts us more deeply than any other issue. Even PoC do not want excessive immigration because it drives down wages and puts stress on the safety net.

[Philosophizing Fool]

153. Our pride be damned

The point we should be focused on is simply electing more Democratic politicians. We are out of touch with rural voters, we should not hide from this fact. Arrogance will not endear rural independent voters towards our views. In fact we may need to step back from or readjust some of our views in order to get back those voters who feel that Democratic principles left them behind. Tough message to say and even harder to swallow. Getting more Democratic politicians and laws enacted should be the main concern. Our pride and feelings be damned if it will only lead to more Republicans in office.

[Mariana]

171. Which parts of the Democratic Party Platform do you think should be changed

to better appeal to rural voters? Please be specific.

https://democrats.org/where-we-stand/party-platform/

[betsuni]

179. What arrogance? What views need to be readjusted? What Democratic principles have left them behind?

Could you please give specific examples?

[Philosophizing Fool]

199. No

If you can not see a problem, then you are part of it.

[betsuni]

200. No. If I cannot see a problem and there are no examples of it, it doesn't exist.

[brooklynite]

155. Other than the fact that you don't like his perspective on rural voters...

...care to name a specific policy you disagree with? Or an unethical action that rates him as corrupt?

And feel free to point us to a progressive who can win in Montana.

[traitorsgalore]

156. Care to post something that's not behind a paywall?

Feel free to post anything you want about how much you hate progressive/democrats and our policies like Medicare for all, $15 min wage, negotiating drug prices and free community college.

Did your Montana moron run on any of those things?

[brooklynite]

159. I generally find when people resort to personal attacks, they've given up discussing...

I have no objection to any of those policies, or to progressives. But if you can't elect a progressive outside a safe Blue district, I'll go with a mainstream Democrat (see Biden, President).

As for your "what did Bullock run on" question, why did you state your opposition to him if you don't know his policy positions? I understand there's this wonderful thing called the Internet which lets you look things up.

The Attorney General's office also pursued the railroad industry for monopolistic business practices[12][13] and took part in a 16 state effort to urge the federal government to use antitrust authority against consolidation in agriculture.[14] Bullock focused on the misclassification of employees as independent contractors and allowing FedEx to avoid paying millions in state taxes and fees. His efforts resulted in changes by FedEx to comply with federal and state laws.[15]

Bullock attracted national attention by challenging the Citizens United decision through his defense of Montana's 100-year-old ban on corporate campaign expenditures.[16] After winning in the Montana Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the State of Montana in a 5–4 decision.[17][18]

According to a September 20, 2016, survey by Morning Consult, Bullock, with a 66% approval rating and a 19% disapproval rating, was the most popular Democratic governor in the United States, as well as the fourth-most popular overall, behind Republicans Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota, Larry Hogan of Maryland, and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts.[35]

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Steve_Bullock_(American_politician)

[radius777]

208. Biden is a mainstream liberal and well to the left of Bullock.

Governor is a state office where voters tend to vote non ideologically. Red states will elect Dem govs and blue states GOP gov's but it doesn't say much about what the state's ideology is or who they'll send to Washington.

[maxrandb]

162. Jews need to get out and talk to Nazis

There, fixed it for you Senator

[brooklynite]

164. What an ugly comment...

Every rural voter is a Nazi? Wonder if the rural voters here agree?

[GusBob]

183. Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and African Americans are rural residents ya know

I don’t think they are Nazis

Why would you say that?

[Poiuyt]

165. How can you even be over educated?

It's like when you're on a job search and you're told that you're "over qualified."

[wellst0nev0ter]

166. Evergreen tweet

Link to tweet

[brooklynite]

168. In 2018, I met with Elissa Slotkin who was running for Congress in a suburban/rural district

She discussed her plan to campaign in the rural areas, and the criticism she received from people who pointed out that her predecessor had lost the rural areas by 90%.

She said he goal was to lose them by 70%.

She’s in Congress now.

[Hekate]

169. I'm fine with "rural folks" but I am not fine with my vote being worth 1/40th of a Montanans' vote.

I am not fine with having 2 Senators for 40 million Californians while states with fewer than 1/2 million people also get 2 Senators. And I am emphatically not fine with the Electoral College system.

I am fine with presidential candidates somehow not ever making it to within 500 miles of my town because my state is geographically so large. I am not fine with the perpetual whining that somehow a Democratic candidate didn’t make it to the exact small town in the small state Joe Sixpack lives in and that's why the Democrat lost that state.

I think rural folks count: I just don’t think they should count 40 times more than I do. How hard is that?

[brooklynite]

173. If you want to change the voting system, you'll need a Constitutional Amendment...

…which will requiring winning elected offices in rural districts and States.

[Hekate]

178. I understand that very well

[ymetca]

180. Bingo

It's not so much a problem of Dem "messaging", but of the glaring problem of systemic minority rule.

Better solutions require taking that power away from an increasingly unruly minority, such as passing the voting rights bill and packing the SC.

They're gonna call us "communists" anyway, so I say it's time to give 'em the "medicine" that's gonna help them, whether they like it or not.

Irrational, unreasonable and dangerous people need to be contained, not placated. There's more of us than them. They can either get over it, or hasten down that horrible path to someone prying their guns from their cold dead hands.

Sadly, that's where we're at now.

[budkin]

172. Tired of catering to rural voters

They aren’t better than anyone else and don’t deserve to be treated like they are.

[brooklynite]

181. We're not arguing that they're "better"....

...but if we've won all the safe D seats, we have to increase our margins in the suburban and rural districts.

[dsc]

176. It might be easier to listen to this

if we didn't see farmers take billions in aid over and above the billions they get each year paid for by US taxpayers to help them weather the Trump trade war and if we didn't know that by a nearly 2 to 1 margin they feel that 13 year old girls should be forced by the government to carry their rapists fetuses to term. Sorry but you don't get to be the biggest welfare queens in the nation and desire to use the government to compel half the population to be barefoot and pregnant and then call yourself libertarians who favor small government.

[betsuni]

187. Last two and current Dem presidents weren't from upper class wealthy coastal elite backgrounds.

FDR was. Gore and Kennedy families. Don't think there are that many.

Presidents are the leaders of the party. So who are all the out of touch elites that give people the "perception of the party we belong to"? Because Republicans have been attacking "elites" since forever? Because some people have been yelling about "corporate Dems" being beholden to wealthy donors and ignoring the (white) working class? Because when Democrats run for president they don't personally visit every white person's house in swing states? What Democratic policies are so bad (or is it "not enough" -- and the only way to get more is to elect more Democrats)? Republicans think Democrats take their taxes and give immigrants and minority poors free stuff -- is this the policy they're mad about? Is this another "Republican voters are secretly democratic socialists waiting for a True Progressive to vote for and that's why they hate Democrats" thing? Is it that Democrats spell their protest signs correctly?

I'd like more details.

[ibegurpard]

194. The problem is the lack of a medium

Everyone can argue about whether it's messaging, candidates, or policy until we're cemented into a permanent minority.
Meanwhile the fascists continue to buy up multimedia bullhorns, social media microdata, and build community laser-focused on tearing down, distorting, and outright lying about Democrats.

[brooklynite]

197. Third Way: "The Rural Vote with Cheri Bustos"

Join Third Way for a conversation with Congresswoman Cheri Bustos this Thursday at 11:00 AM ET. We’ll discuss her ideas for bolstering rural economies, the crucial role rural voters will play in the upcoming 2022 elections, and how Democrats can fix their branding problem in rural America.

Congresswoman Bustos was named Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Rural Task Force. Don’t miss her conversation with Third Way Senior Visiting Fellow, Antjuan Seawright.

RSVP

[Deminpenn]

205. Wasn't Bullock recruited by the DSCC exactly

because he'd won statewide and knew how to appeal to these "rural" voters?

Seems a little disingenuous to be blaming Democrats now for his own campaign failings.