… Trump’s immigration and trade policies have set many agriculture leaders to grinding their teeth, albeit through a forced smile. Yet his support has been steadfast. Could any of it ever cost Trump some of his support among farmers and across small-town and rural America? …
If any Democrat is entertaining the thought of attracting meaningful rural votes, my advice is not to hold your breath. In small-town and rural America—like Southern Arkansas, where my parents grew up—the Democratic Party projects a very urban-oriented and secular value structure that is anathema to the views of many beyond the suburbs.
Still, Trump’s backers should worry about the level of erosion of enthusiasm toward him in rural America. Trump’s 7/10ths-of-1-point victory in Pennsylvania did not come from significant support in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh and their suburbs. CONT.
Charlie Cook