Not sure if I can take this anymore

[JPPaverage]

Ernst wins. Again. Trump takes Iowa. Again. Meeks may win the second district. This state is a repuke stronghold. I used to take pride in being an Iowan. Now, not so much.
I'm old enough to remember when we actually had Democrats in charge of things. Or at least moderate Republicans like Robert Ray and Leach. What happened?

[Newest Reality]

1. Propaganda...

Propaganda happened and there are too many people willing to ignore what they see and hear, methinks, in favor of it.

That and a confidence man proving how many people are useful marks and uninformed idiots.

I think the results so far are disappointing in the sense that I really thought many more people would wake up to what's really going on.

[SharonClark]

2. Here's a few reasons:

Influencers:
Fox News
Right wing and Christian talk radio
Evangelical white Christians
Conservative Catholics (abortion)

Love of:
Guns
Farm welfare

Long time fear:
taxes

Distain for:
urban dwellers
people of color
highly educated

New fear: mobs, civil unrest

[Bettie]

3. I hate it here

I would love to move out of this fucking state, but it is where my DH's job is.

[progressoid]

6. I used to have hopes that it would turn around. Not so much anymore.

I was a poll observer yesterday at a Trump friendly polling station. After 8 hours of that, I'm more motivated than ever to GTFO!

[icwlmuscyia]

4. I am with you- this is not the Iowa I grew up in

That Iowa had men and women with integrity who really wanted to do the best for the country and state.

Iowa got caught up in the whole "movement conservative craziness, led by Terry Branstad. More than anyone else I blame Branstad and their kneeling before the Koch brothers. There are lots of other very bad people in the saga, but Branstad is the one who welded it together.

I continually go back to the picture of Branstad signing the union busting bill alone in his office on a Friday night with one other person in the room. That person was Drew Klein of Americans For Prosperity. AFP is the Koch brothers main political arm. I always say Klein was the Kochs 'minder' of Branstad.

I believe he is still around and shall we say a huge influence on Reynolds (aka Branstad's revenge)?

And the money - you become a Republican elected official and you are set for life if you do what you are told.

Yeah, Iowa stinks any more. We used to be the top of the US I education and other good categories. Now we are fighting Mississippi for the bottom.

[progressoid]

5. Yep.

The cults of Trump and the tea-baggers has turned a moderate state into a shithole.