Researchers explore political divides between western Mass. counties | News

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — As Tremendous Tuesday will get nearer and nearer, politics are sure to come back up round your dinner desk, and it is simple to give attention to what divides us on the large points.

Within the Pioneer Valley, there’s one long-standing political divide between Hampshire and Hampden County.

It is referred to as the ‘Tofu Curtain’ and Western Mass Information is elevating it, to see if the us-vs-them mentality nonetheless exists in 2020.

The ‘Tofu Curtain’ describes the distinction between political ideology.

The invisible curtain lies alongside the Hampden and the Hampshire County line.

As folklore has it, these in Hampshire County are likely to vote overwhelmingly Democratic and Progressive, one would possibly even say “left-wing”.

These in Hampden County, are typically extra centrist.

So someplace alongside the road, somebody joked about it, and it grew to become well-known sufficient to have it is personal Wikipedia web page, however right here in 2020, Western Mass Information wished to see if folks nonetheless really feel that divide, and know in regards to the ‘Tofu Curtain’ or if the fashionable age of politics has raised the ‘Tofu Curtain’ as soon as and for all.

[I’m trying to do a story about politics in western Massachusetts and I was wondering have you ever heard of the ‘Tofu Curtain’ before?]

“What’s it? The ‘Tofu Curtain’? No,” Resident stated.

Although this voter did not know the time period

“No under no circumstances,” Northampton resident stated.

He did communicate to a number of the cliches, the ‘Tofu Curtain’ is predicated on.

“Northampton’s a wild place I can let you know that a lot,” Northampton Resident famous.

To interrupt down the idea, Western Mass Information spoke with Julie Walsh, a political science professor at American Worldwide Faculty.

“There’s such a clearly outlined boundary between these two counties that, that’s most likely what prompted it to stay,” Walsh stated.

Although the ‘Tofu Curtain’ does make the excellence between progressive politics and centrist, Walsh stated each counties are supportive of the democratic celebration.

“65 to 70% that vote democrat up there and it’s about 55% right here,” Walsh stated.

And Walsh stated the mental and prosperous label on Hampshire county voters, in addition to the working-class one for Hampden, are actually simply that, with extra depth beneath.

“It is a stereotype. Hampshire county has I believe a 13% poverty fee I take into consideration 50% of the youngsters in Amherst get subsidies for lunches so it isn’t, it isn’t this sharp divide,” Walsh defined.

Greater than something, Walsh stated the ‘Tofu Curtain’…

“All these vegan, vegetarian of us,” Walsh stated.

…reveals how communities prioritize points in relation to the poll field.

“There are variations in what are a very powerful points to every, every of these teams,” Walsh famous.

Anthony Cignoli is a political guide and analyst, who’s seen how the ‘Tofu Curtain’ impacts elections, each statewide and nationwide.

“Hampshire, Franklin they went with Bernie Sanders, however Hampden County went with Hillary Clinton in 2016 a wonderful instance of how generally on the larger points the counties will cut up proper alongside the strains of the tofu curtain,” Cignoli defined.

Cignoli stated Hampden County voters are likely to vote on points that instantly have an effect on their communities…

“Hampden County is usually extra of an area widespread individual mindset definitely within the north, legislators are preventing for their very own districts and their constituents, however they’re pondering large image usually as effectively,’ Cignoli defined.

He instructed us a few of these large image points contain local weather change and social reforms and as concerned as Hampshire County will be on grassroots activism…

“Hampden County will outvote all the remainder of the counties mixed usually in statewide races,” Cignoli famous.

However within the 2020 race, Cignoli stated one factor unites the Hampden and Hampshire counties greater than the rest.

“They wish to see Donald Trump gone,” Cignoli famous.

[Any Super Tuesday predictions you’re willing to share?]

“It’s robust to name. You’d have to utterly assume that Elizabeth Warren, so long as she does effectively in New Hampshire and Iowa beforehand goes to prevail,” Cignoli stated.

Solely time will inform how the ‘Tofu Curtain’ will have an effect on the 2020 Presidential Election, however in all races sooner or later, the specialists warn these political stereotypes can do extra hurt than good and that perhaps it is time for the ‘Tofu Curtain’ to take its remaining bow.

“I do suppose there’s vested curiosity in making an attempt to get folks to consider politics extra as an affiliation with a life-style alternative after which it’s simpler, to divorce the true points from peoples minds and get folks to generally affiliate with a place that may not be of their financial greatest curiosity,” Cignoli stated.

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