![]() In the short-run, the Ukrainian conflict has been a boon to American farmers. But they are not sure how the war will play out and what US involvement means for their lives. Everyone sees him as a thug who terrorizes his own people and destabilizes global affairs. ![]() I didn’t encounter anyone who had a positive view of Russian President Vladimir Putin. That conflict perplexes many in the heartland because they are not sure what it means for America or how it affects them personally. While most of those I encountered had relatively clear views about domestic issues, the Ukraine War was another matter. Despite their general conservatism, they recognized that same-sex marriage had become broadly accepted in many places around the country and that conservatives did not have the same ethical ground on that topic as they did when it came to life and death debates over fetuses. They wondered what it would mean for other issues such as same-sex marriage. Unlike Democrats, who sometimes acted as if tweeting was equivalent to organizing, conservatives had spent decades mobilizing voters, recruiting candidates, preparing policy proposals, and financially supporting leaders who promised to enact pro-life principles.Īlthough Republicans were pleased with the court decision, several recognized the new abortion decision would further divide the country, generate a massive counter-offensive from progressives, and pit state against state in a dangerous manner. For them, the court decision represented the culmination of a life’s work and evidence of how their political activities over several decades had paid off. Some of my hometown folks had spent decades organizing the grassroots, rallying churchgoers, running for local office, and supporting pro-life candidates financially. While most of the people I knew in DC bemoaned the decision as a betrayal of promises made during Senate confirmation hearings and a tragic rollback of women’s rights, a number of acquaintances in rural Ohio applauded the decision. I arrived in the Midwest the day before the Supreme Court announced its historic reversal of Roe v. This is consistent with data compiled by the Brookings Primaries Project based on an analysis of 2022 congressional primary candidates. In general, many of them told me they hoped Trump would not run, but that someone with his policy views would become the GOP nominee. Their ideal candidate seemed to be someone who supported Trumpism but with a nicer persona. Yet on the other hand, they didn’t like Trump’s abrasiveness, wondered what to make of the Januinsurrection, and preferred someone who would follow Trump’s line but not antagonize so many people. They wanted someone who would keep government spending in check, slow the speed of the pandemic (without mask mandates or mandatory vaccinations), and stop the flow of immigrants across our southern border. They openly scorned what they saw as the Democrats’ turn to the left and Biden’s ineffectiveness in dealing with inflation, COVID, foreign policy, and border security. ![]() On the one hand, nearly all of them liked his policy agenda. The yard sign notwithstanding, many of the people I encountered had voted for Trump in 2020 but displayed surprising hesitancy about his possible 2024 candidacy. Based on a number of conversations there, I drew several observations and lessons about the current environment. For someone like me, steeped in DC life, the visit to a deeply red area represented an invaluable opportunity to check the heartland’s political temperature and see how the landscape was faring during a volatile time. It was in a county that had cast 78% of its 2020 vote for Donald Trump and judging from the “Let’s Go Brandon” sign next to it, the homeowner was no fan of President Joe Biden. Twitter saw my first Trump 2024 yard sign in rural Ohio on the way to my 50 th high school reunion last weekend. ![]()
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