“Economic anxieties are testing the loyalty of rural voters to the Republican Party, expanding the electoral battlefield into some of the most traditionally conservative districts across the nation and raising Democratic hopes. For a decade, farmers and ranchers have been a core part of Trump’s coalition, voting for him by double-digit margins in all three of his presidential races. But as the impact of his tariffs and the war in Iran fuel discontent in agricultural communities across the country, the bond between the president and rural voters is beginning to fray. The anger is palpable from the soybean farms in Mississippi to the cattle spreads in Kansas. Ranchers are seething over the administration’s decision to drop import tariffs on foreign beef. Farmers are fuming about the higher costs of tractors, fertilizer and fuel …. Farmers across the United States have been struggling for years with high costs for land, machinery, fertilizer and seeds, while most crop prices are down significantly from their 2022 highs. While financial shifts are expected in farming, the challenging conditions have been exacerbated by federal government policies …. Farmers across the United States have been struggling for years with high costs for land, machinery, fertilizer and seeds, while most crop prices are down significantly from their 2022 highs. While financial shifts are expected in farming, the challenging conditions have been exacerbated by federal government policies. Tariffs have driven up the cost of steel used to make tractors and weakened some export markets, hurting soybean farmers and ranchers. The war in Iran sent fertilizer and diesel prices skyrocketing .…. The financial challenges facing rural communities have shifted the electoral map, transforming Senate races in Kansas, Iowa and Texas.” “Farm Country and Strained Republicans.” New York  Times (10.16.26).