Five myths about rural America that muddle the political realities

In political, media and academic circles, the Trump era has sparked renewed interest in rural America — the supposedly “forgotten” areas of the country where white, non-college-educated voters gave the president the electoral edge he needed to prevail in 2016. The near-singular focus on Donald Trump has yielded a body […] Read more »

Poll: White evangelicals distinct on abortion, LGBT policy

White evangelical Protestants stand noticeably apart from other religious people on abortion restrictions and LGBT discrimination protections, two of the most politically divisive issues at play in the 2020 presidential election, according to a new poll. The findings point to an evangelical Protestant constituency that’s more firmly aligned with President […] Read more »

Biden appeals both to black voters — and to white voters suspicious of Black Lives Matter

Since entering the 2020 Democratic presidential contest in April, Joe Biden has remained the front-runner — despite gaffes, attacks from the president and fellow Democrats, Republicans’ charges of unethical behavior and questions about his health. While other candidates’ poll ratings wax and wane, Biden’s have been remarkably stable. Many observers […] Read more »

‘Nothing Less Than a Civil War’: These White Voters on the Far Right See Doom Without Trump

Great American Pizza & Subs, on a highway about 100 miles southeast of Las Vegas, was busier and Trumpier than usual. On any given day it serves “M.A.G.A. Subs” and “Liberty Bell Lasagna.” The “Second Amendment” pizza comes “loaded” with pepperoni and sausage. The dining room is covered in regalia […] Read more »