I know this is going to be unpopular but I am friends with and I understand many Trump supporters

[herding cats]

201. This is what I say, too.

It's a herd mentality. I wish I just read on Discussionist to understand them, I don't need that to be exposed to them, though. I actually live among them. I'm considering a GoFundMe to get me out of here! (<--joke!)

Seriously, if you're dealing with rural red state Trump voters, they're driven by a mindset of hate people not exposed to them cannot comprehend. The majority of the rural Republicans are driven by this strange mix of hate and brainwashed misconceptions.

I touched on what they're really like below: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9007892

Many of these people are not what people in insulated areas want to believe they are. I know this to be a fact, because I actually KNOW them.

However, there are discouraged Democrats in these areas who can be encouraged to come back out and vote. That's what Howard Dean did, he gave these closeted Democrats hope and lured them out to vote. I watched it in realtime when he motivated them with our Democratic message locally, and they emerged from their hiding. I saw it happen again in 2008 with Obama, but they were scared back into their shells again by the emergence of the Tea Party locally. The Tea Partyist were their neighbors, employers, pastors(!) and family members, etc. They couldn't handle the social pressure of being "out" as a Democrat and retreated again.

In my opinion, these closeted Democrats need to be energized and targeted again. Pick areas where they performed well in the past and then retreated. There's several out there. Then, we cultivate candidates locally which can be electable there on all levels of local, state and national government again.

I will say one thing here.... don't hate me for saying this, please, the local races (school board, etc.) will be moderate/conservative candidates, but the next level up will be more moderate Democrats. Once you break the trend you open doors to more open minded people, but it takes work and time in deep red regions.

I'm just offering up my personal experience here. I know no one wants a moderate/conservative person elected on a national level, least of all me. However, if it's a small local race traditionally held by deep red people, I'm willing to consider alternatives. I will say the party had better not call them progressive or liberal to appease anyone, because that would be the death of them with the closed minded people we're trying to enlighten here locally.

I'm just tossing out some ideas here, if I'm way off base, I apologize. I'm mostly active locally, and DU has been confusing to me lately. Locally we lament Hillary's loss, miss Obama deeply, and hate Trump. Here not so much. I'm treading in uncharted waters here anymore.