On the rural vote in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate

John Nichols writes for The Nation about the success of Mandela Barnes, the young, African-American lt. governor who earlier this week won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.  He faces Ron Johnson, the Republican incumbent, in November.  Here are the story's excerpts about Barnes' strength in the state's rural reaches:  

Barnes swept every one of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. In a number of counties, he took more than 80 percent of the vote—winning especially wide margins in Dane and Milwaukee counties, as well as in the rural counties where Barnes, an ardent advocate for family farmers, focused much of his attention as an elected official and candidate.

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[I]n a state that, historically, has been closely divided, that’s a problem for the incumbent, especially in the rural western Wisconsin counties where Barnes won some of his best totals. Consider Iowa County, where Barnes won 82 percent against multiple active and inactive opponents on Democratic side, while Johnson gained just 73 percent of the vote against a single opponent on the Republican side. In neighboring Richland County, Barnes won 81 percent of the Democratic vote, while Johnson secured only 75 percent of the GOP vote.

Here's another story about politics out of rural Wisconsin, dateline LaCrosse.  The gist is that a young woman candidate for a congressional seat came in second to the incumbent endorsed candidate.  That woman, Rebecca Cooke, had courted the rural vote.   Here's an excerpt: 

Democrats say last night’s primary proved there is victory in loss. State Senator Brad Pfaff won the Democratic nomination for the 3rd Congressional District with 39% of the vote. Candidate Rebecca Cooke, a political newcomer, came in second, with 31%.

Underdogs don’t typically come out on top.

“She very much was an underdog,” political analyst Anthony Chergosky said.

If you ask Cooke, she disagrees.

“People underestimated me,” she said.

Over the past ten months, Cooke toured 19 Wisconsin counties on her way to second place.

“Eight hour days packed back to back to back working to really connect with stakeholder groups,” she said, recalling what the tour consisted of.

At 33, Cooke was the youngest candidate in the 3rd Congressional primary.

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Cooke is small business owner who grew up on a farm. She won rural votes Democrats have historically lost.

“Democrats are really hungry for someone who can connect with their rural audience,” Chergoksy said.

Rural areas are votes state senator Pfaff failed to win.

Cooke is committed to campaigning for Pfaff and doing what she can to help him win rural votes.