A producer harvests soybeans Sept. 28, 2025, near Hamberg, North Dakota. (Photo by Lora Wobbema/For the North Dakota Monitor)
I’m often asked why farm states vote so heavily Republican and why farmers support Donald Trump as strongly as they do. Under his Administration, commodity prices have been down, whereas under Democratic Administrations, their crops were worth more money. All the efforts they’ve put forward have been undone. And the worst part is, Trump treats them like they’re wards of the state.
The best example I can give is the soybeans that farmers plant, raise, and harvest. A percentage of which they give to organizations elected by themselves. It’s called checkoff dollars and they send them to places like the Soybean Council. The Council uses those dollars to go where they can increase demand, like China. They make business connections, hoping to secure a reliable customer that will pay a premium for a great product.
Now tell me what good any of that does if the President puts a 30% tariff on the country you’re doing business with. The answer is pretty simple, isn’t it?
By doing all that, Donald Trump has just made them a ward of the state where government is the only place they can turn to for help. And when Trump doesn’t care at all about the deficit, he can simply ride in on a white horse. And since he’s the one with the cash, you just keep quiet and do anything he says.
The key to all of that if you’re Trump is to have people not understand or care. And it won’t matter if the state doesn’t have many people. As long as it has two Senators.
See, it really isn’t that hard to understand why they vote the way they do.
Good riding with you,
Joel
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