Yes, I agree with the other commenters. Is this more of a urban/rural issue really? The entire US population is seemingly moving to the South, so purple may have a chance. Also, the poverty you speak sounds like a lot of urban Northern cities. Southside of Chicago and they took all government money and then some. The state wants to take over the disasterous Boston public school system, etc. I agree the rural south sounds like a rough way to live. But things are changing. Will democrats go where the change is going or be demralized on the parts that can't be changed. Thanks for the thoughts. Am following.