One of the simplest indicators of how a given geographic location will vote is whether the area is rural or urban. In general, rural areas tend to vote Republican, while urban areas vote Democrat. (As you can see in the image above showing how counties across the country voted in the 2016 Presidential Election.)

As someone who lives in one of those blue blobs in the middle of a sea of red, I can anecdotally attest to that general rule. Residing in the middle of a triangle of universities, in the capital of a southern state, you come across many centrists, and fellow liberally-minded moderates. However, travel 30min by interstate in any direction, and the political environment youre used to quickly changes. The sprinkling of Thanks Jesus signs become a sea of them. The occasional Trump supporter bumper sticker becomes a fleet of them, and while many billboards may be empty or advertising a sporting event, even more ask the question, Got Jesus? The comedian Marc Maron once performed in my home town, and commented (and Im paraphrasing), Wow, whats the deal with all the Thanks Jesus signs? Not very welcoming to the Jews. You dont see any Thanks Yahweh'.

Living in the blue blob means you have to get used to your views not being expressed by your home state as a whole. My state was a win for Trump in 2016, and our state House is controlled by the Republicans. This site is partially a way for me and other writers to express their views, frustrations, news, and perspectives as people sequestered by the Urban/Rural divide.

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Liberal Island Liberal Views From Inside a Red State