Data Centers, Tariffs, and the Fight for Rural Votes

Data centers are showing up in rural counties across the country, and not everyone is happy about it. Isaac Wright, a strategist who's spent two decades working rural campaigns, joins Heidi and Joel to talk about why that is, what tariffs have cost farmers selling to Brazil and China, and why he sees real opportunity for Democrats in Iowa and Ohio in the midterms.Isaac explains why rural voters respond to authenticity and local trust over national talking points, and what Rob Sand's win in Iowa says about how to build that trust. He also gets into AI regulation, and what it would look like for policy to actually reflect the values Democrats say they hold.In this episode:Why Iowa and Ohio look like real opportunities this cycleData centers: local jobs versus strain on water and powerWhat tariffs on Brazil and China have cost farmersBuilding trust and likability in rural racesWhat it actually means to "localize" a campaignConnect with Isaac Wright:LinkedInIsaac makes a clear case for what it takes to win back rural voters, one county at a time.The Hot Dish is brought to you by the One Country Project. To learn more, visit OneCountryProject.org, or find us on Substack (Onecountryproject.substack.com), and on YouTube, Bluesky, and Facebook (@onecountryproject). (00:00) - - Introduction (02:14) - - Isaac Wright's background in rural strategy (04:01) - - Midterm outlook: gains and voter disillusionment (06:04) - - Key races in Iowa and Ohio (09:23) - - Values and local issues in rural campaigns (15:07) - - Trust and likability in rural elections (18:09) - - Data centers: opportunities and community concerns (26:39) - - Messaging on tariffs and trade (34:05) - - Short-term realignment and national politics (39:16) - - Closing thoughts: the long-term opportunity for Democrats