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Pollsters Underestimated Rural White Vote

Reuters

Pundits and political scientists are still sifting through data can explain how Donald Trump surged to the most unexpected presidential victory in U.S. history.

But, as The Daily Mail reports, the short answer is that rural white American voters let their voices be heard. Meanwhile, on the flip side, groups that were expected to turn out in force like Millennials and black voters, failed to come through for the Democrats.

Trump’s deep support among rural parts of the country could mean that a Trump administration will pay special attention to the nation’s farming and ranching communities.

Still, many are asking how the polls could have gotten it so wrong. Consultant Frank McCarthy explains that people had “been told that they have to be embarrassed to support Donald Trump, even in a telephone poll.” Polls showing a Clinton victory included CBS, ABC/Washington Post, Bloomberg, Rasmussen, Monmouth University and NBC News/Survey Monkey.

Chuck Todd of NBC News summed up the sentiment outside the cities on Tuesday night: "Rural America is basically screaming at us, 'stop overlooking us!'"