Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election continue to rollout their policy platforms for rural America. Several presidential hopefuls spent the past week and a half in Iowa and are seizing the opportunity to appeal to rural voters across the United States.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg from South Bend, Indiana released his rural policy proposal this week which centered around an $80 billion investment in rural broadband. Buttigieg’s call for investment in rural internet access echoes his competitors’ platforms including Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), who each promised massive investments in rural broadband if elected into office. Buttigieg’s plan for rural America would also invest in improved broadband mapping and several economic development programs to foster job growth in rural areas.
These policy proposals inform rural voters how each candidate’s administration would benefit rural America. The inclusion of rural broadband is a noticeable trend among policy platforms from 2020 candidates, suggesting that rural broadband deployment will be a significant issue for rural voters.