Good afternoon,

Yesterday, One Country Project (OCP) and Impact Social released analysis of swing voters' attitudes regarding the federal criminal indictment against former president Donald Trump.

As we noted back in our previous analysis in April, Trump's 2024 re-election bid cannot find success with his MAGA base alone. He will need to garner support from moderate Republicans and Independents, and Independents have a solidly negative attitude towards Trump.

Our most recent analysis of 40,000 swing voters from May 12 to June 12, 2023 found that, in the face of a federal arrest, they maintain an unfavorable view of Trump and are concerned that even being arrested for federal offenses will fail to dial back the support of his MAGA base.

Swing voters are also acutely aware that should Trump win office, he could stop all indictments against him and pardon himself of any crimes of which he may have been found guilty, thereby evading justice and accountability. In their view, voting against Trump not only prevents him gaining power, but also allows justice to be served―giving them an additional incentive to vote for other candidates.

ICYMI: RURAL PROGRESS SUMMIT

• Last week, OCP hosted our second Rural Progress Summit! The 3-day virtual event brought together rural stakeholders, issue experts, and policymakers to discuss the role rural America plays in our politics, economy, agriculture, and energy industries.

• OCP board members including former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, North Carolina Rep. Ashton Clemmons, and Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten were joined by White House Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

• The Summit also featured keynote addresses from Eternal Polk, director and executive producer of Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land, and Audra Mulkern, founder of The Female Farmer Project and director of upcoming film Women's Work: The Story of America's Female Farmers.
• The Rural Progress Summit examined rural America's affordable housing crisis, the challenges in delivering healthcare in rural regions, paid family leave, the next Farm Bill, the role of rural media, and rural politics heading into the 2024 elections. Catch up here.

GET THE HOT DISH WITH REP. MARIE GLUESENKAMP PEREZ

• Also last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez joined OCP founder Heidi Heitkamp and co-host Joel Heitkamp on The Hot Dish podcast. On the table for discussion was Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez's exciting win as a Democrat in a rural district that earned her the nickname "Mrs. 2%," how she won over voters with commonsense values, and representing Southeast Washingtonians in Washington, D.C. Listen here.

• Yesterday, on Capitol Hill...
  • The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development held a hearing focusing on stakeholder perspectives on USDA's Rural Development Programs.
  • The House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held the hearing, Where's the Beef? Regulatory Barriers to Entry and Competition in Meat Processing.
  • The House Small Business Committee is holding a hearing focusing on Assisting Entrepreneurs: Examining Private and Public Resources Helping Small Businesses.
• Today...
  • The House Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing on the Farm Bill's Title VII: University Perspectives on Research and Extension Programs.
  • The Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing to examine anti-poverty and family support provisions in the tax code.

• OCP founder Heidi Heitkamp joined ABC's Nightline with Juju Chang to discuss the federal criminal charges against Trump.
   
• OCP board member Rep. Anthony Daniels' Overtime Tax Bill, which cuts the tax on Alabamians' overtime work, was signed into law.

• Daily Yonder: Rural Counties in Northern Great Lakes Grow at Above-Average Pace

• CBS News: U.S. Investing Billions to Expand High-Speed Internet Access to Rural Areas: "Broadband isn't a Luxury Anymore"
   
• UW Medicine: Rural Health Workers Faced Unique Stressors During Pandemic
   
• Nonprofit Quarterly: Housing Innovation in Rural America
   
• WUSF: The Price of Plenty: Fertilizer Companies Cash in While Farmers Struggle
   
• Farm Progress: Federal Debt, Deficits, Spending, Baselines Affect Farm Bill
   
• Reuters: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Brightens Electoral Map for Democrats in 2024
   
• The Washington Post: Democrats Meet With Anti-Trump Conservatives to Fight No Labels 2024 Bid
   

Be sure to follow the One Country Project on Twitter and Facebook, and check out The Hot Dish podcast.