In far reaches of the U.S., Democrats hang on as endangered species

(18 Aug 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 30 July 2024
1. Overview of the town of Lusk
2. Various of Becky Blackburn's home and the pride flag flying in front
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Becky Blackburn, Niobrara County Democrat:
“I am, I am known as the crazy Democrat. I have a couple people who say, ‘Oh hey, Becky, my favorite Democrat.’ I’m like, ‘I’m the only Democrat you know.’ ‘Well, yeah, but you’re my favorite.’"
4. Various of Blackburn petting and playing with her dogs
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Becky Blackburn, Niobrara County Democrat:
“So I organized our caucus. And so I got the list at that point, and I feel like that was 31 or 32 registered Democrats at that time. I reached out to 26, and two showed up. Ross and Becky, at my convention."
6. Various of signage and cattle at the Niobrara County Fair
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ross Diercks, Niobrara County Democrat:
“Well, it’s never, it's never good to be outnumbered. There’s somewhere over 30 Democrats in our town. When I did check the list, I didn’t even recognize all the names. And so that, that gives some form of excitement right there, just to know that perhaps there are more out there yet to be discovered."
8. Trump flag and Republican political yard sign
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 31 July 2024
9. Various Republican political signs displayed at the Niobrara County Fair
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 30 July 2024
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ross Diercks, Niobrara County Democrat:
“J.D. Williams, Republican. Allen Slagle, Republican. Joe McDaniel, Republican. Jeb Hanson, Republican. Yeah, certainly all Republicans running in in our area and probably only a handful of Democrats."
11. Various of cattle and the plains
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ross Diercks, Niobrara County Democrat:
“In this county, some, sometimes, especially over the years, the most exciting races are the local races. For commissioner, for sheriff, things like that. And if you can't vote for 'em in the primary, then one switches parties to be able to vote.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 31 July 2024
13. Various of a get-out-the-vote display at the Niobrara County Fair
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Pat Jordan, registered Republican, progressive:
“I tend to register and participate in the prevailing party of a region because that’s where you have the sway, you know? Do you, can you suddenly change the whole tact of, of a particular party stance? No, but you can shift the Overton window a little bit."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 30 July 2024
15. Various of people gathering at the Niobrara County Fair
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 31 July 2024
16. Various of stickers on Blackburn's car
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 30 July 2024
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Becky Blackburn, Niobrara County Democrat:
“The majority of Americans all want the same thing. They can, they can mark the R or the D on their little form, but I think we all want the same thing, you know? I, we want our kids to grow up happy and healthy. We want to be able to afford groceries. We want to be able to live our lives and let other people live their lives the way they want to. I think we just at some point need to come together, generally as a human being, as a species, as a country.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lusk, Wyoming - 31 July 2024
18. Various of people at the goat show at the Niobrara County Fair
STORYLINE:
They call her the crazy Democrat.
She says she is well-liked maybe because she tends to avoid contentious political debates.
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