The white rural reckoning

[AZProgressive]

Trump is betraying the very voters who put him back in power.
Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman
May 15, 2025

After our book, “White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy,” hit shelves in February of last year, we made a wager: Tom bet that Donald Trump’s support among rural white voters had peaked in 2020, and Paul predicted Trump would further increase his white rural support in 2024.

Alas, Paul looks to be the winner. While the final tallies are not yet in, the AP Votecast shows that Trump’s overall rural support increased by three points from 2020 to 2024, and about three-quarters of rural residents are white. Those numbers indicate he’s pushed up his ceiling among rural voters each of the three cycles he’s been on the ballot.

More than 100 days into his second term, however, Trump’s policies are starting to wreak havoc on the very rural white citizens who have been his most loyal geo-demographic voting base. If they voted for Trump last year hoping he’d make their lives better, they’re quickly finding out they made a mistake.

Farm policy
Given the damage of Trump’s first-term agriculture tariffs, rural American farmers may have forfeited the right to express surprise or dismay about what’s happening to them — again.

https://www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-white-rural-reckoning-waldman-schaller

[Bread and Circuses]

1. Yes, and they will still vote for republicans

The rural white voters refuse to open their eyes and realize that they’ve been lied to for over 40 years, starting with Ronnie Raygun. They have decided that the cultural changes are going to kill them. They fear brown, black and anyone who thinks of looks different. Their fear has turned into red hot hate and they will destroy our nation.

I will not give them a second chance. Im sick of keeping them afloat as a voter from a Blue State that pays more in federal taxes than we receive.

It’s up to them to listen and assess their own heart. We’ll hope that they admit their purposeful actions has placed our nation into peril and the CHANGE their party registration to Democrat! Otherwise, they will continue to pass on their prejudices and vote to harm Americans.

[FoxNewsSucks]

2. I travel rural KS, MO and OK.

They are firmly addicted to Fox, AM Hate Radio, their churches (which "preach" the same things Hannity says) NewsMax and whatever other MAGA tells them to think.

There really is no reasoning with them.

[Dave Id]

9. Still vote Republican

Remember, it snot a cult!

[Iamscrewed]

3. Hitler and?

Did the same shit.

[JT45242]

4. Or more likely white rural.voters voted against the uppity black woman

It is not that they liked trump more in 2024, they hated a black woman daring to run for president.

[BaronChocula]

5. Then there's that

White cultural voters are literally committing suicide through their votes.
And I have zero sympathy.

[BaronChocula]

6. Was it really a betrayal by trump?

Or was it just stupidity?
These people don't know they have feet until they shoot themselves in them.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Doesn't matter. Hammer the message to them that tRump betrayed them. It's believable, it will work

It will work because it plays on their emotions. That's how propaganda works. That it is true doesn't hurt, it helps, but it is the emotional package that will turn the trick.

It's what worked in World War II against Nazis:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220319626

[BaronChocula]

10. I'm ALL about effective messaging

I'm waiting for this one to be effective. He's had former supporters feeling betrayed since 2016 yet he gains more votes with each subsequent election.

His cult appeal seems to zero out the betrayal factor. Or something.

Reminds me of the naive refrain of news show seat warmers since the rapist's first term every time a new infraction arose - "But will this sway trump voters?"

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Yes, but the appeal each time was factual, intellectual. Needs to be emotional.

Each time a supporter of his makes a bit of a complaint, find the emotion in it and amplify it.

"Man, Christmas is going to be more expensive this year."
"Yeah, me too. But hey, he got his Christmas present in May and all golden too."

So there it's not talking about emoluments or technical issues around bribery, it connects with the emotions. Show him living it up while the supporter is struggling.

[Skittles]

8. they wanted him to hurt people

just not THEM

[betsuni]

12. "White Rural Rage" is a terrific book, highly recommended.

[Meowmee]

13. Will they do anything about it?