The Brand Is So Toxic : Dems Fear Extinction in Rural U.S. | RealClearPolitics
SMETHPORT, Pa. (AP) Some Democrats here in rural Pennsylvania are afraid to tell you they re Democrats.
The party s brand is so toxic in the small towns 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh that some liberals have removed bumper stickers and yard signs and refuse to acknowledge their party affiliation publicly. These Democrats are used to being outnumbered by the local Republican majority, but as their numbers continue to dwindle, the few that remain are feeling increasingly isolated and unwelcome in their own communities.
It’s not really like this here on the left coast. But go inland about 20 miles, and it’s as if you’re in a different country, or at least a different state. It’s a bit weird, but a lot of stuff is weird in California.