I live in a blue state. What's it like for a Democrat living in a deep red state?

[fightforfreedom]

[phylny]

1. Well, I live in Virginia - purple - but in a very red

area. I feel surrounded by ignorant people and while I belong to a local Democratic club, it’s disheartening to know that my Congressperson and state representatives will never represent me.

I also feel I cannot put any bumper stickers supporting a Democratic candidate on my car because I’m afraid of vandalism.

To me, its stressful.

[fightforfreedom]

4. Where I live their are a lot of Republicans but they don't wear MAGA hats.

They keep their support of Trump under cover if you know what I mean. Every once in a while I will see a vehicle covered in Trump propaganda. That's about it.

Where you live, does it have a dystopian feel to it?

[OneGrassRoot]

5. Same...

I'm in NC, purple, but I'm in a red area. I see those damn black US flags which proclaim they're ready to kill libruls when Trump gives the word, and I have one neighbor who loathes me because of my views so much that she has said on Nextdoor such things as she hopes terrorists bomb my home. lol Oy. Vandalism for sure.

Because it's no longer just me and my daughter and grandson live with me, I've become silent, even on social media, because I don't want to put them in harm's way. I was harassed years ago by the "alt-right" (aka Nazis) with phone calls to my home and everything, so I know what it's like once you're targeted. And once you're on their radar, you're always on their radar.

So I feel like I'm going to explode all the time, repressing this rage and anger and sense of helplessness to do something to protect my grandson, now and in the future. I'm definitely losing brain cells, so I'm trying to figure out what I can do covertly...lol.

[Demovictory9]

7. I can't even imagine. Lucky to live in deep blue California. although see a trump flag or two

not often

[PXR-5]

23. Same here in central Union county

Can't put a campaign sign up, they will rip it into pieces, surrounded by MAGAts.

People shooting their guns off all day long, my dogs are in a state of panic.

We are going to sell and move back to NJ.

[raccoon]

27. Union County, SC? Nt

[PXR-5]

30. Union county NC, just outside of Charlotte. nt

[mnhtnbb]

33. Don't move back to Jersey. Move to Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill

It's a liberal bastion. Yes, there is gun violence, but my neighbors are not shooting off guns all the time.

[PXR-5]

36. Unfortunately, I can't afford anything there,

NC doesn't offer affordable housing for seniors.

In NJ you can still buy into nice well kept 55+ communities, single family homes starting at 150K, duplexes starting at 80k.

$2000-2500 property taxes, HOA at $300 a month, but this includes most home repairs, roofing, HVAC etc. Included landscaping, snow removal, trash pickup.

NJ does a good job protecting seniors.

Also, we are several years away from Medicare, so the ACA here in NC can run $1800+ per month, in NJ it's about $300 per month.

[mnhtnbb]

44. Good luck!

I grew up in Chatham. Left in 1965 when my Dad retired to California and I was just entering high school. Nothing for those prices in that part of Jersey now!

[Wingus Dingus]

43. Had to say something about your Next-door experience--

I signed up to see if anyone else had had their house or driveway egged (mine was recently, someone came at midnight and stayed just out of view of the cameras--no cars had gone by for a half hour, so they walked--weirdly motivated to get us. No other neighbors hit). Found out that Next-door was a cesspool of crazy people who live terrifyingly nearby, talking about Soros and how the US is scheming to block sales of diesel to make the economy collapse. I live in a reddish suburb of purply-blue Colorado. We no longer have family nearby and plan to move soon.

[OneGrassRoot]

48. Isn't that disheartening?

I hear everyone say that about Nextdoor, regardless of where they live. I really think too many people (perhaps those who live in more progressive-friendly or at least progressive-tolerant areas) are underestimating the sheer number of right-wing assholery all around. They've definitely come out of the woodwork since 2015.

[lapfog_1]

2. for a period of time I was living in Red Arizona

and when I finally could locate back to California... as I drove on I-10 over the Colorado river into Blythe California... I screamed my hatred of red states at the top of my lungs... possibly to the surprise of anyone in the other lane.

And every time I have visited Arizona and returned to CA since then... I do the same thing.

Don't get me wrong, I love the deserts of Arizona, the smell of the desert after a monsoon storm, the sunsets... multi-colored mountain ranges. I just hate the people there. Arizona would be a paradise if there were no (or very few) people.

[Dr. Shepper]

3. In North Dakota

On border to MN. I am a professional, considered critical to the economy, and the only one left to do the job I do.

I am struggling on whether we should stay and fight or get out of here. I can’t really afford to go back home (the Pacific NW) and feel stuck. But I want to protect my daughter and her friends whom I care about too.

[JT45242]

6. Iowa city, Iowa here ..purple moving more red

I live in a sea of blue around the 'corridor' from the university of Iowa to Cedar Rapids, that is surrounded by red. I drive by 'Grassley works' signs every day.

I passed a farm with a big sign that tRump won 2020.

I know that the gerrymandered legislature is gleeful that a 'heartbeat' law will go in effect. They will likely be one of the legislative bodies to write laws to challenge Obergefell and Loving. All to help Gov. Covid Kimmy and her quest for the trumpian party VP slot under either rump or deathSantis.

It is scary. A truck ran through protesters. They want open carry and stand your ground laws so that when they feel threatened because of brown skin or enough education to be able to see BS, they will be able to Rittenhouse on us.

It makes me hope that I can get a job in Canada or New Zealand.

[samplegirl]

8. It's awful!

Last edited Mon Jun 27, 2022, 08:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Our once blue state now red by a bunch of trump lovin troglodyte's.
Ohio is now second to Florida in assholes.
VD Vance, DeWine, Loychick.

All pushing harder and harder to ruin us further!

This is what has happened here.

Trumbull County's population increased 0 out of the 10 years between year 2010 and year 2020. The county’s largest decline was between 2017 and 2018 when the population dropped 0.9%. Between 2010 and 2020, the county shrank by an average of 0.6% per year.

Among six age groups — 0 to 4, 5 to 19, 20 to 34, 35 to 49, 50 to 64, and 65 and older — the 65+ group was the fastest growing between 2010 and 2020 with its population increasing 20.9%. The 35 to 49 age group declined the most dropping 19.9% between 2010 and 2020.

Ohio is a failed state. In the past 10 years the state, run by Republicans has declined. We lost a seat in the House of Representatives & 2 electoral college votes. And in jobs…

Ohio has six JobsOhio regions with distinct industry strengths and resources. In 2020, the Northeast region had the highest annual average unemployment rate at 9.0%, a 4.7 percentage point increase from 2019.

The lowest annual average unemployment rate was in Central Ohio at 7.0%, a 3.4 percentage point increase from 2019. The Northwest JobsOhio region’s annual average unemployment rate more than doubled from 2019 (4.2%) to 2020 (8.6%

Finally based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Hourly Rate job market in Ohio is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.

Ohio ranks number 36 out of 50 states nationwide for Hourly Rate job salaries.

[Novara]

9. Michigan

We used to be a solidly blue state but not anymore. I lived in California for about 30 years and came back to Michigan 8 years ago and didn't recognize the state. It's gone fascist. The Detroit metro area is still blue and my city is stull blue but everywhere else is solid red.

I often have to travel the state for my job and it always astonishes me to see all the MAGAt paraphernalia because my little blue city is not that. Once you travel outside the cities and through the rural areas you'll see the marriage of poverty and ignorance and they all support the orange motherfucker.

I just traded in my old car for a new one and I'm relieved I no longer am driving around in a vehicle covered in lefty bumperstickers. I have been road-raged and assholes have tried running me off the road.

[LisaM]

11. Michigan has more than two blue areas.

Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Lansing, Flint, and Kalamazoo are all blue. Some of the other areas are mixed. Gerrymandering has been an issue and people are trying to fix it. But it has not always been solidly blue. George Romney was elected governor, so were Engler and Snyder. It goes back and forth.

I was just up North (visiting) and there were way fewer Trump signs than last year. Roads were great, too.

I live in Washington now and the urban/rural divide is way worse than in Michigan. It's not just Eastern Washington either. South of Seattle and then west of Olympia are the worst I've seen as far as right-wing signage.

[shrike3]

40. I remember a gentleman from Eastern Washington State telling me that he and his neighbors

feel like they are controlled by the Seattle area. One metropolitan area vs. their wide expanses of land. I said, "Land doesn't vote, people do." He did not answer.

[gab13by13]

10. Pennsylvania, in a Magat area,

I actually have to interact with the Magats or I would have no one to golf with, just 2,000 people in my small borough, 6-1 Trump.

My Rep. Glenn Thompson will never be defeated, he drinks oil and breathes methane, totally owned by fossil fuels.

I have a rule with the Magats when I have to interact with them, NO POLITICS. If they start, I stop them. They are hopeless so I don't waste my time on them.

I do hit them with zingers which I know they have no come back on. My recent zinger, is I ask them who they are voting for, the Muslim from New Jersey, or the Harley rider. They mostly answer they can't vote for Fetterman because he is a Democrat, that is how much they hate Democrats. My 89 year old golfing buddy told me that, and I say, I am a Democrat. I have been taking care of him, he lives alone, his family from Florida and he is getting over pneumonia. His daughter and son-in-law are Democrats and he just shakes his head. He then says, but my grand daughter is OK, she hates minorities. This guy is a Korean war vet, did military funerals, helped at the church, did Meals on Wheels and he is a flat out racist, bigoted, misogynist. Go figure.

[SoCalDavidS]

37. You Feel Comfortable Caring For Someone You Consider To Be A "Flat Out Racist, Bigoted, Misogynist?"

You're a FAR better person than I am.

I'd tell them to get help from one of their repub buddies, since he should not rely on loser Democrats like yourself.

[Farmer-Rick]

12. I live in the most beautiful part of the country

In the mountains in rural TN. Unfortunately most people here are idiots.

The ones I am acquainted with, are in church celebrating turning women into chattle. They are just so happy to know you can't have any bodily autonomy if you happen to be born female. They are now talking about teaching about creationism in school, making women wear dresses, starting orphanages to get their hands on those unwanted newborns, catching escaping women, putting doctors and pregnant women in jail, bringing back stoning, owning the libs and athiests, building more Christian based amusement parks. All sorts of fun plans.....

[gab13by13]

14. Yeah well in Pennsylvania,

Doug Mastriano is running for governor and he was sent by God to wage war against the infidel Democrats. He gets to appoint the SOS who oversees elections and Mastriano promised that Pa. will select Republican electors no matter the popular vote.

[Farmer-Rick]

16. It only gets worse

The religiously insane have decided even democracy must be destroyed for Christianity.

[Demsrule86]

42. Well he is going to lose.

[peggysue2]

47. Mastriano will lose

Even the GOP knows he's too extreme for the state. The man's an absolute nutwad and was involved in the J6 insanity. As for abortion? He's pushed the heartbeat bill but has said openly that the ban should be pushed back to conception.

And yes, on election matters he's claimed he will determine what votes are legitimate. He also wants to privatize our public schools, starve public education of funding.

The man's a nightmare, a proud white Christian nationalist who would love to have his own private fiefdom.

We will VOTE the man back into the dark cave he slithered from where he can have interesting conversations with Dr. Oz.

[Whiskeytide]

13. Alabama. You realize many of them...

… are pretty normal people who either don’t follow politics (and vote with the herd), or do follow politics and simply disagree on how government should function and what it’s purpose should be. They don’t hate me, and I don’t hate them.

And then about 1/3 of them are irredeemable assholes that crawled out from under rocks 6 years ago. Fortunately, most of them wear a mark on their forehead or fly flags on their houses, cars and boats so we can easily identify them.

[OneGrassRoot]

17. Alabama and Pittsburgh...

I grew up in both places (southern Alabama), and find the people to essentially be the same, politically, other than partaking in alcoholic beverages and things like that...lol. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the people I know in both places, including family, are part of that 30% of irredeemable assholes.

[2naSalit]

28. Well said...

It also describes Montana better than I can. I live in this, last I knew, purple-ish state and lately it's been hard to tell a lot of the time.

[gibraltar72]

15. In Southern Mi. not a Red State but a Red County.

Hard by Hillsdale College the Alma Mater of War Criminals. It sucks, neighbors still fly Trump flags and Anti Whitmer ones. Hillsdale College Nazis have taken over city council of Hillsdale. Just forced librarian to resign because there were some "gay groomer" books in the library. Want to assure children aren't allowed to read about 2020 election and certain political things. And she had a mental health hour every week. Damn her.

[redstatebluegirl]

18. It is Hell!

20 years of it for me. As soon as my husband retires we are out of here.

[Emile]

20. You bite your tongue a lot.

[2naSalit]

29. +1

[Beachnutt]

21. DFW Mid cities area, no real problems here in my area

no trump flags and crap here, Only when I leave here and go on trips around texas mostly in rural areas that I see alot of the magaloons flags and garbage.
I like it when the folks come from magaloon country to At&t stadium for big events such as Cowboy games and concerts and they have trump flags and come and take it flags and they pull in the tailgating or rv parking areas of the stadium and raise their flags on a pole, I live nearby and drive by to look for these assholes and when I see one I go straight to the security/parking attendant and point them out and then I sit and watch them slowly take it down....
No political crap is allowed and I make sure it is enforced.
Other than the outsiders it's pretty laid back here in my area.
I cut ties and communication with all trumpers such as family and so called friends back in magaloon country and
I don't do facebook or any social media stuff either so kinda low key here and I like this way.

[Cracklin Charlie]

22. Missouri here.

It’s brutal. I cried all day Friday, off and on.

I have one daughter and three granddaughters. The idea that Mike Parsons, cartoon Nazi, controls our bodies makes me ill.

I have decided to pretend he doesn’t exist, for the most part. If this situation stays in place until my grandgirl no. 3 comes of age, she will fix it. She’s the strongest little thing, mentally and physically, that I’ve ever known. She will take Parsons down.

[Lars39]

24. You occasionally walk into conversations

that feel like something out of the Twilight Zone. Heavy on Jeebus, anti-science, and just plain stupid. Some of it’s family, which is when it can really get interesting. Women are already treated as second class here.

[2naSalit]

31. +1

[Taraman]

25. I have no representation

After 50 years of fighting, we've managed to make the metropolitan areas consistently Democratic, but they can't overcome the rest of the state. That's true for a lot of the red states.

One fights and lives true to one's beliefs, without any hope of immediate change.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

26. Living among angry, ignorant, unhappy sociopaths, who are capable of becoming a

foaming at the mouth fascist domestic lynch mob at the drop of a hat, is by far the worst thing about living here.

That said, we live in a stunningly beautiful, sparsely populated area, and avoid the fascists to the greatest degree possible.

[RSherman]

32. Northern NY Reds, Radicalized, Brain Washed Haters

I live in Northern NYS. That horrible wench Stefanik is my "rep" although she only represents Trumpers. Her area is so gerrymandered, she can stay in office for life. Fulton County, to all the way up north, very red. There was a time when businesses would stay out of politics. No more. Trump flags everywhere. Digital signs making their feelings known. My neighbors are flying "F*ck Biden" flags and "F*ck Your Feelings" from their homes and trucks. These are the riled up, radicalized rural white guys.

Unfortunately, my educated friends are the same. There are 2 women I worked with. They are teachers. They have no problem with DeSantis and others referring to educators as groomers and pedophiles? Hotlines students/parents can call to turn them in if they talk about something that can be construed about sex, gender, race, etc. One woman's daughter is also a teacher. Her other daughter is a doctor. Repubs are encouraging their base to distrust health care professionals and educators. In Texas there is a hotline to turn in your local doctor if suspected of performing an abortion. These same women are against forced vaccination, but apparently ok with forced pregnancy and child birth. As I said, we were all teachers and one woman's daughter is a new teacher. Aren't they scared of school shootings? Nope, just keep handing out those guns. From our conversations, I think their support for Republicans comes from a place of rage against "people on welfare" and immigrants who Democrats "give immediate benefits and turn them loose." I cannot see how people in need have hurt these women financially. One put her daughter through med school and the other daughter through college for teaching. She and her husband are now giving one daughter $20,000 to go toward buying land for a home. The parents have a beautiful home, always 2 new cars, ATVs; they live on the lake, have a boat, etc.

I just participated in a benefit motorcycle ride for the Fulton County Sheriff's Dept. K9. I saw the Sheriff before the ride started. He gave me a hug, told my friend we had known each other for 35 years, asked if I was retired yet, etc. He used to be a nice guy. He was a guest speaker in my classes and participated in SADD assemblies. Since Trump, he has become super politicized. When Cuomo passed the gun law "Safe Act", the Sheriff publicly refused to adhere to it. Because it was proposed by Dem Cuomo. Wouldn't a sheriff want fewer guns on the street for the safety of his officers? Recently, he called out a fellow Republican, the county administrator, over a land purchase and said he was going to pursue a criminal investigation! And, he is supposedly friends with the administrator and his family--this guy is the husband of my Republican teacher friend I wrote about above. So, now we see Repubs cannibalizing each other. Anyway, right before the m.c. ride started, the Sheriff got on the PA, wished us a safe ride, thanked us for our participation (we raised $26K). Then he had to make this stupid ass, completely unnecessary political remark: he had a beautiful German shepherd with him. He said "this is my K9 rescue. She was born a female, but the government says that in a few months, she can decide what she wants to be.". I did not know whether to puke or punch him. Totally disgusted. Probably will not do the ride next year. Why couldn't he just let us have a good time? Why did he feel it necessary to interject his politics????

[shrike3]

39. Oh, my. I know what you mean.

Been in that area. It's like cold Klan territory.

[Haggard Celine]

34. Things are about the same in Mississippi as they've always been.

There are plenty of Trumpers, but it's not as bad as you might think. As long as you don't bring up politics with people, they're usually all right.

People don't usually talk about politics here with people they don't know. It's considered rude by most people. Sometimes I'll be in a line somewhere and some asshole will talk loudly about an issue and everybody just groans.

I'm worried, though, what will happen if we end up having a civil war in this country. It's looking more and more like that might happen, and I don't think I want to be here when that happens. The good people won't be in control if that happens. I'm looking more and more into getting out of here, but the prospect of restarting my life somewhere else at 52 is daunting.

[SoCalDavidS]

41. I Am 56, And I Hear You

The only thing keeping me from SERIOUSLY looking at another country, is that my parents are both still alive.

I really don't like this country anymore, and would very much like to disassociate myself with it.

[jonstl08]

35. Missouri Sucks

It sucks here in Missouri. Very much controlled by the rural areas which are very red. The cities such and STL and KC are very blue but have very little power. We had voted for NO Concealed gun Permits and No puppy mills. The people voted against both but the GOP legislature did not like that so they nullified the vote and overruled the will of the voters. We had a vote for clean elections and get rid of gerrymandering but they found a way around that.

We did get a measure of revenge though. They voted to make Missouri a Right to Work state but Missouri is very union and it was put up for vote in the entire state. Right to Work law was reversed by the voters 70-30. Such a wide margin that they have not tried to change it.

[shrike3]

38. I live in a blue area of a red state.

I stay put and do all my traveling outside the state.

[Bayard]

45. Southwestern Kentucky

Land of McConnell and Rand Paul. I spent about an hour last week composing an email to Rep. Guthrie, because he keeps sending me emails that are so full of bullshit, they just send me over the top. I'm on his list because I've sent him many such emails, which are obviously never read.

I still have a Biden/Harris sticker on my truck. So far, it hasn't been vandalized, but it worries Mr. Bayard. I don't put up political signs on our little country road, because I'm afraid of harm to my animals. You still see confederate and trump flags around here. Sometimes there are yard signs with bible verses, or saying Democrats are going to hell. There is one lonely car at Tractor Supply all the time, (must be an employee), with a Bernie Sanders sticker on it. I have a couple of good rethuglican friends here. We mostly just don't talk politics, although on occasion, there are heated discussions with one (she is pro-abortion though). People just assume that you are one of Them, or they test you, like my idiot neighbor. Last time, he climbed back on his riding mower, and sailed off in a huff when I'd had enough of his Fox viewer crap.

Last week, we had some contractors working here. I was standing talking to the guy that hauls our gravel, and he was saying--we just need to get rid of everybody in Washington, and start over. They're all worthless. Then, this other guy, who arrived late, walked up giving that, "white power," sign, or whatever the hell it is with the fingers. Apparently, he thought it was hilarious. The trucker just looked embarrassed. I gritted my teeth, and walked away. I needed the work finished.

The main blue areas are the college cities: Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green.

[misanthrope]

46. In Alabama

I feel like a Cold War-era spy behind the Iron Curtain. My experience is that while superficial niceties are utmost, too many white folks assume other whites have their same socio-political leanings. Elements of classism and racism weave their way into so much of the culture yet many of unaware of it.

It makes for intriguing observation, but lonely interaction. I have a tiny number of people I consider friends. Most of the others I've befriended in my life here managed to relocate. I'm held in place by all the complications from my medical disability, which includes not having the financial ability to achieve escape velocity. When I've had others in distant locales offer to help me get out, my spouse's (I depend on her for financial stability due to my means-tested medical care) generalized anxiety disorder won't cooperate. I feel like a mastodon in a tar pit.

The environmental conditions here -- physical and mental -- erode my quality of life. Doctors have flatly told me as much. Once the conservatives surrounding me get their heartfelt wish of eradicating my access to medical care through elimination of Social Security and Medicare, it won't matter any more. I will be lucky to make it a year after that.