On the heels of a New York Times/Sienna poll and last week’s election results, Blue Tent notes that voters are deeply concerned about the economy. Blue Tent encourages donors to support Rural Democracy Initiative and other organizations that are creating a shared vision for an economy that works for everyone.

In the November ’23 elections, voters in Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky protected core freedoms like reproductive choice, education, and democracy itself. Rural Americans elected leaders who support clean energy, climate progress, and racial justice to city and county government, school and water boards, and as sheriffs and district attorneys. These leaders will determine whether rural Americans have senior care, child care, and adequate school funding.

In The Hill, Sarah Jaynes calls for policies that support the small businesses, farmers, workers, and caregivers that drive our economy. The recently published Rural Policy Action Report focuses on our economic well being, particularly those that promote higher incomes and lower costs, generate growth — not policies prioritizing the rich and giant corporations.

A national collaborative of rural policy and advocacy organizations released their 2023 Rural Action Policy Report, outlining specific investments, policy improvements, and regulatory reforms to provide the tools rural people need to succeed. The report highlights the ongoing challenges people in rural communities face, the numerous policy successes since the publication of the previous report in 2021, and recommends federal policies that will continue to improve the economy, infrastructure, and resources for these communities.

Sarah Jaynes highlights the importance of rural voters to establishing governing majorities in a recent story, “A 25-year-old from a small town leads North Carolina's Democratic Party toward 2024.”