@VegasJen joke?

Close-ish. Rural northern Nevada. Paradoxically people I love - the vast majority kind and down-to-earth. But are completely rosy-eyed about Trump.

Nevada is pure Trump except Las Vegas and Reno-Tahoe. The only two genuine urban areas. That's why it's a purple state. But it's a good shade of purple. Even the GOP governor and my GOP house rep are quite sane and reasonable.

I often wonder.

Similar to you, I live and work in a really strong Trump area. I have said previously, I elect to go and be in our rural clinics. Because I really enjoy the people, outside of their politics. What interests me is they assume I share their beliefs, so they feel free to initiate discussions. And like you I vacillate between smiling, nodding, and diffusing, and then politely but firmly disagreeing when I need to. And often they show mutual respect. I tease some of my Trump fans who know I am not, and vice versa.

Do you think it is a matter of diehards just assuming everyone in proximity must feel same? Or does a casual and familiar demeanor invite the assumption? Probably a bit of both.

Yeah, I think for me it's both. I drive the right car, dress the right way, crew cut, talk the right way (when not talking about politics or vaccines), to make people naturally I assume I'm a good 'ole boy. The car and dress are not an affectation - rolled with off-the-rack $25 jeans in coastal CA as well.

The typical CA coastal invader/retiree in my area is easier to spot. Stereotypical Tesla/Taycan, $300 designer down jacket instead of my pullover hoodie, etc.

Yup it was and VegasJen came, saw, planted her freak flag, and left (maybe).

I'm always amazed that people will saddle up to virtual strangers and start discussing politics. I was at a friend's wedding in Vegas in 2014 and the bride's uncle sat at my table. After a few drinks he started going on and on about how Obama was ruining the country and proceeded to thrash talk CA (he's from Missouri). I politely extricated myself from the situation but before doing so reminded him that there is a large swath of CA that he could fit in very well.

true and true

I'm in a very strong Republican county. Much less MAGA than it was 4-8 years ago. Most will be voting straight red except they may leave the president option blank. Outside chance they vote for some down-ticket dems, but not for President. It may come down to either Biden or Trump doing something absurdly stupid that will hold their attention long enough to decide their vote.

Something unrelated that could get some people fired up here is the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia (PAC) finally announced a special prosecutor, Pete Skandalakis, will look into charges our current Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R) interfered with our state elections back in 2020 (he wasn't Lt. Gov then). Burt was one the special electors that had planned and put into place a coup of our state democratic institutions and tried to blame it on advice from lawyers (he's a lawyer). He should be disbarred and locked up. I have no faith that PAC will bring any charges as Burt is part of the good ol' boys network, but at least it is moving forward. Most here couldn't care less whether justice is served seeing as they elected him Lt. Gov. after all of this was known. He took the place of a young, up and and coming Christian conservation who actually cares about people and our institutions. Someone that was run out of politics by MAGA after he refused to say the 2020 election was anything but 100% legitimate. Some Republicans here are waking up to the reality they may have looked the other way for too long. Some have to be regretting buying into the election lie and staying home at Trump's behest for the runoff which gave us two (D) Senators.

You missed the biggest one: Brown people bad!

In 2018 I was working with an Iranian girl. She couldn't visit her family and was scared to leave the northeast.