There are few divides in the United States greater than that between rural and urban places, Colorado Public Radio recently noted.
Cities have, in many ways, become bastions of Democratic ideals, while the countryside is home to Republican stalwarts. Many urban areas have delighted in economic growth over the past eight years. Traditionally liberal vocations, including technology and the arts, have seen success. But rural occupations, like agriculture and oil, have struggled. In cities, populations are growing and property values are rising. Meanwhile small towns have been shedding population for decades, and land values have been uncertain.
This divide is playing out in the presidential race. In the primaries, rural areas voted reliably for Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Conversely, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have pockets of deep popularity in the nation’s urban areas.
However, if the Democrats ever want to see sustained success, they’re going to have to account for the fact that rural areas are suffering. The years between 2010 and 2015 accounted for the first-ever net population loss for rural America. And many rural dwellers feel left behind.