Mills vs. Platner, Who’s the Real Rural Candidate? — ‘Mud Season’ Episode 2

Welcome back to Politics Between Us and Episode 2 of Mud Season.This week, we’re continuing our deep dive into Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate primary—but stepping back to ask a deeper question: what matters to rural voters?To help us think about this question, we’re joined by Professor Nicholas Jacobs, a leading scholar of rural politics. His work challenges one of the most dominant narratives in American politics: that rural voters are driven by irrational “rage.” Instead, he offers a more complicated argument about politics rooted in place, identity, and experience.We talk about why Democrats keep misreading rural communities, how resentment differs from rage, and why the most “authentic” rural candidate in recent memory might actually be Donald Trump. And we spend time on Maine specifically: why this state is “wonderfully weird,” why national media keeps missing the point, and why being a harbormaster might matter more than other points on a résumé.Along the way, we also get into the tension shaping this race, and American politics more broadly. Experience vs. disruption, governing vs. standing up, and whether voters today care more about who you are or whether you actually have their back.Then stick around for Agebait, our recurring segment where Luca pulls something from internet culture and tests how much Alison actually understands about the world people under 35 are living in. This week: betting, billionaires, and the odds on the Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate Democratic primary.Join the Politics Between Us Community: Background ReadingTrump’s rural voters know what they’re doing Sneering only widens the divideWhat Liberals Get Wrong About ‘White Rural Rage’ — Almost Everything“I’ve Got Your Back” PoliticsMaine Democratic Senate Primary Winner — PolymarketPolitics Between Us is created by Alison Beyea and Luca DeAngelis and produced by Steven Jackson. This Substack is a personal project. Alison and Luca are both employees of Colby College, but the views and opinions expressed here are entirely our own and do not represent those of Colby College or any other institutions with which we are affiliated. This publication is not produced, sponsored, or endorsed by the College.Keywords: Maine politics, rural voters, Nicholas Jacobs, Janet Mills, Graham Platner, authenticity, resentment vs rage, 2026 Senate, political identity, rural America. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit politicsbetweenus.substack.com