Right now there is a divide in America. Politically, America is more partisan than at any other time in recent history. This division is represented as much by geography as it is by the countries wedge issues: abortion, immigration, healthcare, etc. Today I want to talk about the geography part of our divisions. I”m a rural resident and a progressive. If you pay attention to the national media, you may not know that people like me exist. But we do, and we are here in larger numbers than you might think. This hole conversation about partisanship and geography are so confusing to me. To me, rural america isn’t as republican as what the rest of the world sees.

So what does the divide look like on a general level? Republican leaning individuals overwhelmingly live in counties with low population densities (rural), while Democrats overwhelming live in areas that are more densely populated (urban).

I find this a bit puzzling because I am a progressive independent living in a rural county in Colorado that overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump. Needless to say, I don’t understand this geographic division. I don’t understand why Democrats overwhelmingly flock to cities. And I have no idea why rural Americans are so afraid of progressive ideas that are often adopted in cities. I saw somewhere recently that Democrats generally favor walkable communities, while rural residents favor space. This also makes no sense to me.

So yes, I am a rural Democrat. A combination of words that you would never expect to hear if you pay any attention to the national press. I am not your typical rural resident, who when interviewed are almost always republican, have a drawl, and angry about something involving immigrants, gun control, the confederate flag, their rights or Obama. To the contrary, I think Obama was one of the best presidents in recent history, I am for immigration reform, I believe in a well regulated free market, I don’t own a gun, I am a scientists by profession, I want to increase taxes to fund universal healthcare and free college tuition, and I am not religious. I also happen to think Donald Trump is a scar that this country (or insert world, maybe?) will likely not get over for at least a generation. You could say, at the very least, I am not what gets portrayed in the media as your typical rural resident.

At the same time, and in spite of how much I may disagree with my neighbors on a host of issues, the geographic political divide is so confusing to me. Even though I don’t politically align with my geographic location, I genuinely love living in a rural community. People who live in rural America are friendly to everyone. It is amazing how many people who have visited me are amazed at how friendly everyone is. It’s a sense of community that I’ve never experienced when I’ve lived in the city. People who live in rural America share a lot of the same interests that I have. They love the outdoors, they enjoy fishing and riding bikes. One of our very conservative county commissioners is even a certified yoga instructor. Most people, although not all, believe in local organic farming and ranching practices as well. I always find it weird, when I talk with conservative people at how much wants are similar to progressives. The interesting thing is that even though they want the same things as progressives, they come to a very different conclusion on why things are wrong or how to change things so they will work well. It is like there is no truth anymore. Everyone, me included, also appreciate how wide open it is. My wife and I have an amazing 35 acre parcel with our own canyon and pond. The land is affordable, too. Our 35 acres cost a fraction of what most people pay for a single family home on a small lot in the city. We never have to put our dog on a leash and we rarely have anyone bother us. I can walk naked in my front yard if I want and no neighbor would see.

And we are not the only ones in Rural America voting for Democrats. There are more than one would expect. Looking at county level voting data from the last election, almost all rural counties have at least a 20-30% who voted for Hillary Clinton. You would never know this if you listened to even the most nuanced new sources. Indeed we are the minority, but we are here.

I guess what I’m trying to say is: if you are a Democrat and you want a few less conveniences and a bit more space, come to rural America. There’s a bit more diversity than you might think. I’m also trying to say, if you are a reporter and you want to report on something a bit different, find a hippie farmer in rural America that voted for Hillary Clinton. There’s more of us out here than you than you lead the rest of the world to believe. And, last but not least, I’m saying rural America is a wonderful place full of Trump, Hillary, Stein, and Johnson supporters. Don’t put us in a corner, we don’t deserve it.