How Will the Dems Regain Rural Counties?

[javero]

After learning that Three Billboards was filmed in the mountain town of Sylva in western North Carolina, I decided to revisit the region's 2016 general election results.  I was somehow surprised by my findings.  The big fault line there still lies between urban and rural voters. 

Long story made short, Trump took both the GOP primary and general election in western NC by sizable margins while Hillary lost both campaigns.  For some perspective, Obama took Jackson County by a narrow margin in 2008 and cratered state-wide in 2012.  As a reminder, Three Billboards was filmed in Sylva, NC which is the county seat of Jackson County.

We could attribute the Dems cooling off in the region to a number a factors including one that might make some here feel a bit uncomfortable, namely gender.  If there's any truth to the maxim that all politics is local, then a case could be made that Sarah Palin was a drag on the GOP ticket in 2008, ACA a drag on the Dem's ticket in 2012, and Hillary a drag on her party's ticket in 2016.  In the context of politics within western NC, I suggest that the only woman at or near the top of the ticket on either side who could help  her team get over the 270 wall would be Nikki Haley.  She's smart enough to figure out how to distance herself from Trump at the most opportune moment to bolster her chances for a future bid for the White House.  I feel like crap for writing this.

There's a breakdown of the 2016 election results for western NC here.  I encourage every Democrat and indie voter to read it.   Regardless of  the party nominee in 2020, the Dems must get that individual out to the far reaches of the purple states like North Carolina where there's a fighting chance of competing.  Relying on corporate and well-heeled backers (and super-delegates) will not cut it.  The nominee needs to quickly run the board up on the competition in the primaries to put Trump and Pence on defense.  Despite some recent success on the part of the Dems in special elections, both the upcoming mid-terms and 2020 general election will be won (or lost) in the margins. 

[ssimpson86]

By rural people realizing that the republicans don't actually care about them.Whoever is dumb enough to vote for Trump or anyone like him deserves what they get. Especially if it's because a woman in the Whitehouse makes them feel icky.  Its just a shame it brings down the whole country. 

[javero]

I'm heartened by the success of the striking public school teachers in West Virginia whose planning & tenacity earned a 5% raise for all state employees.  It's difficult to attract employers to a state that consistently ranks either last or next to last in student achievement metrics at the national level.  And the strikers did not allow their movement to be high jacked by a few toxic national Democratic party bosses.  I don't dislike the Dems in general but find the party leadership at the national level grossly out of touch with voters outside of their blue state strongholds.

West Virginia lawmakers reach deal to give striking teachers pay raise

National Democrats Stayed Away From the Longest Strike in West Virginia History

[madbrian]

There are plenty of “gettable” votes to be had, but the Dems need to make the effort to engage. Clinton proved you can’t simply rely on inner city turnout.

[adamgreer]

ssimpson86 said: "By rural people realizing that the republicans don't actually care about them.Whoever is dumb enough to vote for Trump or anyone like him deserves what they get. Especially if it's because a woman in the Whitehouse makes them feel icky.Its just a shame it brings down the whole country."

They have proven time and again they will vote against their own self-interests in order to support candidates that they believe won’t take their guns, will stop the homos from carrying on and marrying, will protect children from pedophiles with bathroom bills, will stop the sluts from getting “free” birth control, will keep the immigrants and illegals from “stealing” their jobs, and will stop the gals from getting abortions. 

[henrikegerman]

Probably more from getting people who would favor Dem candidates to come out and vote through all efforts, including but not limited to running the most appealing candidates (women as well as men) than from trying to convince diehard supporters of charlatans to realize it is not in their interest to continue to support them.  We are dealing with cults of personality and affinity.   Reasoning with such fanatics that their support for candidates is against their life interests is futile.   Some eventually do realize it.  But on their own rather than from that kind of oppositional pressuring.  Some others can on occasion be swayed to become fanatics for Democrats.... but only when those Democrats offer their own cults of personality and enthusiasm.