The great political divide: rural and urban voters

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Matt Rourke/Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

Airdate: Monday, October 4, 2021

Drive through rural Pennsylvania and there’s still a good chance you’ll see a Trump 2020 sign or flag or even a Trump 2024 sign. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump dominated the rural areas of the country and got more votes than when he won over Hillary Clinton in 2016.

However, Democrat Joe Biden won 91 of the nation’s 100 most populated counties and gained voters in the suburbs around those cities.

The U.S. is divided politically between rural and urban areas.

On Monday’s Smart Talk, we delve into why this divide exist. Are there issues that rural and urban residents see entirely different? What impact will changing demographics have on future elections?

Appearing on Monday’s Smart Talk are Dr. Stephen Medvic, director of Franklin and Marshall College’s Center for Politics and Public Affairs and The Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government at F&M and Dr. Lonce Bailey, Associate Professor of Political Science at Shippensburg University.