Distilling Best Practices
“Small Thing to Read: Everything the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative Has Written (Not Really Kidding)…Their working papers on how Democrats can message and win in Rural America are top-notch.”
—Michele Hornish, founder of Small Deeds Done and Executive Director of Every State Blue
Guides and Reports
Economic populist rhetoric is all the rage in Democratic circles these days, but not all populist messages are equally effective. In June, the Center for Working Class Politics (CWCP) and the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative (RUBI) conducted a poll (fielded by Verasight) of 6,100 adult Americans, including over 1,000 extra rural respondents so we could analyze rural voters on their own.
This document provides both field-tested messaging suggestions and broader communications “do’s and don’ts” for Democratic and liberal-leaning independent candidates trying to break through mistrust in rural communities.
Rural Urban Bridge Initiative and Rust Belt Rising have released the 2026 Rural and Factory Town Candidate Toolkit, a practical guide built on original research, polling data, and lessons from candidates who've run competitive campaigns in red and purple districts.
This document provides both field-tested messaging suggestions and broader communications “do’s and don’ts” for Democratic and liberal-leaning independent candidates trying to break through mistrust in rural communities.
