In fact, I hope they were; the alternative is confounding.
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I hope that is the explanation. But your area might be the victim of progs retiring there and bringing their troubling views with them.
I live on the Eastern Shore of MD, near a small town that has always been mostly conservative. But, now, they are being inundated with new residents who are progs from the Philthadelphia area and trying to change things to their way.
Liberals from the Northeast have helped changed Virginia from a red state to a blue one. The northern part of the state is completely overrun. Here in the central area, we're stubbornly holding our own, but I wonder for how long.
"Philthadelphia"......LOL.