Politics & Policy
What Makes Rural Voters Tick?
Decoding the Democrats’ dilemma in rural America
Project 2025 and Its Plans for the Nation’s Public Lands
Native leader says massive deregulation would lead to “total desecration”
The Dark Money Defunding Rural Schools
A network of right-wing billionaires have bankrolled a war against public education. Now they’re stepping up attacks on rural legislators—but communities are fighting back.
Signs of a Ceasefire in Michigan’s Energy Wars
Rural comunities have been fighting for nearly two decades over large-scale solar and wind farms. A new law might turn down the temperature as the state seeks to reduce carbon emissions from generating electricity.
In Chicago, Rural Democrats Feel the Joy. Will It Last?
At the DNC’s Rural Council, Democrats see a bright future in rural America—but past losses cast a long shadow
How Harris’s Economic Strategy Could Help Farmers
Taking on monopolies and lowering consumer costs is both a winning political strategy and the right thing to do
What’s Fueling Michigan’s Green Energy Backlash?
A renewable energy push is bringing millions of dollars to Michigan’s rural communities. But not everyone is pleased.
Can Tim Walz Help the Democrats Win Back Rural America?
Rural Democrats rally behind the Harris-Walz ticket but recognize the challenges ahead
As a Rural Ohioan, I See J.D. Vance for Who He Is
Vance’s extreme agenda runs counter to the rural culture of helping one’s neighbors
What Overturning Chevron Means for Rural America
With its Loper Bright decision, the Supreme Court has crowned itself the final arbiter of the world’s largest economy.
This Rural Organizer Shapes Progressive Activism into Policy
How Annie Contractor helps create systemic change from the ground up
‘Making Our Communities What They Need to Be’
A small town union leader on building Vermont’s labor movement for a new generation