Former CNN host Jim Acosta sparked debate on Tuesday by asserting that American farmers are being “led astray” and drawn towards “far-right” candidates in U.S. elections.
Speaking at a Center For American Progress discussion, Acosta contended that the “far-right” has successfully “infiltrated the heartland,” shifting the political allegiance of many in the agricultural community.
Acosta, known for his often-critical commentary on President Donald Trump and Republicans, suggested that a significant portion of Americans are not receiving their information from “reliable news” sources.
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He specifically referenced the late conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, implying a connection between conservative media and the perceived shift in politics in rural areas.
“The far-right in this country has kind of figured out a way to infiltrate the heartland and to basically to pull Ma and Pa from the farm to their point of view,” Acosta stated. He continued, expressing concern that “a lot of these folks vote in these elections and a lot of those folks have been completely led astray. I hate to say it, but they’ve just been completely led astray. And we’ve all just let this happen on our watch with essentially a business model for delivering the news in this country that just does not work anymore.”
Acosta’s comments come amidst consistent strong support for Donald Trump among rural voters. Data from Investigate Midwest shows that an overwhelming 77% of farming-dependent counties supported Trump in the 2024 election.
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Further reinforcing this trend, an AEI exit poll indicated that 63% of rural voters backed Trump, who also held a substantial 30-point lead among this demographic in a CNN exit poll.
The former CNN host concluded his remarks by emphasizing the need for a change in how news is delivered to ensure Americans receive “reliable” information, implicitly linking the current media landscape to what he views as misinformed voting patterns in rural America.
Acosta’s career has been marked by strong criticisms of conservative figures and policies.
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