Poll: Rural Voters Not Reliably Republican in 2008

The Center for Rural Strategies, a Kentucky-based rural think tank lead by Dee Davis, has partnered with Greenberg-Quinlan Research and Greener-Hook Research to poll rural voters on how the presidential candidates are doing. The result showed Clinton and McCain tied, with each getting 46% in the poll. Obama did less well, running nine points behind McCain.

However, Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, says "This poll is more good news than bad news for Obama, because he's only losing rural voters by nine points. ... He's pretty well-positioned to do very well in these swing states."

NPR reports that the survey took place the week of May 13-15 with 682 phone call to citizens in non-metropolitan counties in 13 "battleground" states (New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada).

54% of those surveyed agreed with the statement: John McCain has served his country honorably but he does not seem to understand my economic problems.

Pragmatic Politics -- Rural Voters to Play Key Role in November

The Republicans long ago wrapped up their decision making as to who would be their nominee, so of course, by now we all know that John McCain -- U.S. Senator, war veteran, age 73, from Arizona -- will get the nod.

Now, Democrats are very close to confirming their nominee, too. Today's NY Times which previously endorsed Hillary Clinton, gave front page, above the fold coverage to Barack Obama -- U.S. Senator, raised by a single parent, President of Harvard Law Review, community organizer, age 47, from Illinois -- who has all but wrapped up the nomination. Read the story at The Long Run: Pragmatic Politics, Forged on the South Side.

The New York Times also identified key electoral battleground states as follows:

• McCain targets – Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
• Obama targets – Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin and Virginia.
• Hispanic voters key to both – Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico
• Other states recognized as competitive – Oregon
• (and not mentioned by the NY TIMES, but states still possible to be competitive races – Arizona, Missouri and North Carolina)

NOTE HERE -- Rural voters will play a key roll in 12 out of 16 of these states (see underline), all of which have significant rural populations – average 28.7 percent. These states have a total 107 electoral votes in which rural votes can be expected to significantly impact each statewide victory. Readers can expect this blog over the next month to take a serious look at both candidates' records, comparing how McCain and Obama policies would impact rural citizens in their every day life.