Elections Prove Rural Missouri Flexing Its Muscles

Rural Missouri confirmed a trend during the elections – a strong conservative leaning that favors Republicans. Southwest Missouri State University Political Science Professor Mark Rushefsky says rural Missourians have been moving from the Democratic Party to the Republicans Party for some time. Rushefsky says rural voters overcame urban voters in the election. He points out St. Louis and Kansas City heavily favored Democrat Claire McCaskill for Governor, but rural voters gave Republican Matt Blunt more than enough votes to overcome that. He says it was the rural vote that gave Missouri to President George W. Bush, helped re-elect Senator Kit Bond, and gave Republicans an even strong grip on the State Legislature.