Democrats bet on ‘betrayal’ in rural heartland as Trump’s ‘America first’ mantra falls short
Hammered by crippling costs and precious revenue lost to China, Midwest farmers’ loyalty to the US president will be tested in 2026 midterms
As a bruising 2025 draws to a close for America’s Democratic Party, the caucus is spotlighting mounting challenges facing farmers in the country’s rural heartland.
In a series of mini-documentaries released late this year, the lush green rows of the Midwest are replaced by a stark, dust-blown reality of flecked rust and idle machinery. The ad films eschew political polish for gritty, handheld shots of “gumbo soil” and weathered barns, where growers depict an agricultural economy where hardships transcend party lines.
But as the year ends, the question remains whether mounting economic frustration is enough to shatter the cultural bonds that have tied the heartland to the president and his party for the past several decades.
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