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.

Torrington, Wyoming -- "Rural America: Invisible to Voters"

Joe Miklosi, candidate for Colorado State House -- District 9, brought this Denver Post story to our attention: "Rural America: Invisible to Voters"

In it, Denver Post writer Karen E. Crummy wonders why rural voters are often ignored.

The story serves as a prime example of why we've begun My Rural America, i.e., when rural citizens don't get the news and are locked out of easy access to high-speed Internet ... while their small town newspapers no longer have the resources to serve as community watch-dogs to tell the story about how national elected officials serve their communities, all too many rural citizens become quiet ... and too trusting.

Our favorite quote in the story:

• "Ignoring these [rural] areas can be politically lethal for candidates. While rural voters make up only about 23 percent of the electorate, they have affected the past four presidential elections."

The story continues, "Former President Clinton, a Democrat, appealed to enough rural residents to receive almost 50 percent of their votes in 1992 and 1996. President Bush won in 2000 and 2004 by netting 60 percent or more of the rural vote.

"It shows that to win as a Republican, you need the lion's share of rural votes. For Democrats to win, you have to neutralize those voters," said Seth McKee, a University of South Florida professor who analyzed rural voters in presidential elections from 1992 to 2004.

"Exit polling shows that religion, gender and what region of the country they live in take a back seat to the residents' rural status in voting, Mc Kee said."

... Well, yes! Residents' rural status matters, but rural residents have to be able to get the facts, too. Without news, without easy access to the facts -- voting records and accurate policy information, rural voters can easily waste their votes.

My Rural America sets the record straight. For an example about how we set the record straight, see our next story.