FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 9, 2020
CONTACT: [email protected]
One Country Project Releases Latest Rural Impeachment Reports
Data Suggests Rural Commenters Are Paying Attention to Process, Many Looking for Information Before Taking a Side
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the One Country Project (OCP) released the sixth and seventh installments of its impeachment social media listening project, which analyzes how rural Americans active on social media in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are discussing the impeachment process.“Over the course of our analyses, we have found that online commenters in rural areas were highly engaged in the impeachment debate,” OCP founding board member and former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp. “There are people who are dug in on either side of the debate, but a decline in the share of discussion from the opposition and the growth from those looking for answers shows that for many, the jury is still out.
“Democratic leadership would be wise to seize the moment by hammering home the merits of the charges while highlighting the determination of Mitch McConnell and the Republican Senate to put party above a fair trial in order to protect Trump.”
OCP observed social media traffic from December 10 to December 23, 2019 and from December 24, 2019 to January 5, 2020. The analyses identified several key insights:
- Discussion volume around impeachment exploded at the time of the formal House vote, suggesting that while impeachment may not be a top issue for voters, they are certainly paying attention to the process.
- Pro-impeachment sentiment ticked up during the vote and declined after, suggesting that while Democratic-leaning commenters believe it was right for the president to be impeached they may also have resigned themselves to the reality that the Senate Republican majority will not carry the process forward in a fair manner.
- Anti-impeachment has declined steadily over the course of the two latest trackers, dipping from 26 to 20 percent, but Republican-leaning commenters refrain that impeachment has been a “hoax” or “sham” has stayed largely consistent. Anti-impeachment discussions also show a strong belief that impeachment will ultimately harm Democratic candidates in the 2020 elections.
This is the latest of an ongoing series of rural social listening memos and data released by OCP.
###
About One Country ProjectThe One Country Project, led by former Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Donnelly, is working to promote greater opportunities for rural communities and ensure leaders earn their support. One Country is reengaging with rural Americans, serving as a clearinghouse of research and information for rural Americans, and working to ensure leaders regain trust by fighting for these communities. To learn more, visit the website, OneCountryProject.org.