The following is a statement from Matt Hildreth, Executive Director of RuralOrganizing.Org:
RuralOrganizing.Org is a partner in the Midterm Election Voter Poll, which provides valuable information about rural voters, a group often overlooked or subject to Beltway conventional wisdom. One thing the poll reminds us is that rural does not equal white or conservative.
The poll found that among rural battleground voters, progressive policies on abortion rights, climate change, and immigration outperform generic Democratic House candidates by 16 points. The poll also shows very strong support among rural voters — approaching 80 percent — for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, a policy Democrats passed this summer despite strong Republican opposition.
And, like voters around the country, small-town and rural voters are worried about Republicans and white nationalists who promote hate and violence against minorities and immigrants.
So where’s the disconnect? Why do rural voters support progressive policies far more than progressive candidates? It’s no coincidence that, as the poll shows, Democrats are contacting small-town and rural voters at a much lower rate than other communities.
That supports what we have been saying for years: Rural voters feel abandoned by the Democratic Party. Democrats need to focus on turning out the base in small towns and rural communities, and demonstrate their commitment to investing in rural America.
— Matt Hildreth
The 2022 Midterm Election Voter Poll was conducted by the African American Research Collaborative (AARC) on behalf of America’s Voice, Climate Power, First Nations Development Institute, The Immigration Hub, Indivisible, Latino Community Foundation, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU, UnidosUS, Voter Participation Center, and RuralOrganizing.Org. The poll of 12,208 voters was conducted from Oct. 26-Nov. 7 with a margin of error of +/-1%. The full array of data can be seen at https://2022electionpoll.us. (To see Rural voters, click Crosstabs by Urbanicity.)
“The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.”
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