As someone from and currently still living in middle America, Trump winning wasn't surprising in the least. Part of me still blames the Democrats and "coastal left" in general for not paying enough attention to what has been going on here over the last thirty years. There was a time when these states could have become a bulwark for leftism with the right campaigning and political tactics, but by ignoring and culturally minimizing them it guaranteed that Christo-fascism would take hold. Ultimately though, people's choices are their own, it's just not worth it anymore and my husband and I are moving to New England in August and never looking back.