Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who served two terms as governor of Iowa, says Democrats can make inroads in traditionally Republican rural America this fall due to misgivings among voters about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Appearing on “The Axe Files,”a podcast produced by CNN and the University of Chicago, Vilsack said Democrats have a “unique opportunity” but have to act on it to benefit.
“With [Trump], people are saying, ‘I’m really uncomfortable with him, so what’s my option?’ Well, if we don’t speak to them, there is no option,” said Vilsack, who has three days of USDA appearances scheduled in Iowa this week.
“The food we eat, the water we drink, the energy we use, and a significant percentage of military we rely on comes from rural America. And those folks in those rural communities do not believe that there is a recognition or appreciation on the part of Democrats for that contribution to our country,” he said.
Vilsack is slated to begin his visit to Iowa on Wednesday at a roundtable meeting with new and beginning farmers.