Let’s talk about Missouri

Traditionally a border state with the southern part Dixie and the northern part Chicago-influenced, by the mid-2010s it had become a “red” state nationally, the only Democratic federal representatives were members of the Congressional Black Caucus (who were districted for under civil rights laws)

But still a “purple” state internally, with Democrats elected statewide tho. I saw the 2016 governor candidate’s site, it had a header with a white teacher leaning down to help her black student and that was an elegant summary of the coalition: public employees, blacks, union members, white women, social service providers, social service recipients, and postgraduate degree holders

Anyway after the 2015-2016 Missou protests where the (governor-appointed) trustees ousted the system president and flagship chancellor in response to black protests

And the 2014 Ferguson protests, where the governor took over with the state police as a way to say it’s okay if blacks are taking the streets in protest, not something to suppress with paramilitary force

Dems were strongly favored to win the 2016 gubernatorial election, esp. after the consensus “strongest” Republican suicided among rumors he was Jewish (!?). They did not, amidst defections from suburban whites. That’s on every Democratic governor’s mind.