It was kind of interesting: [People] didn't really want to talk about it too much. And then after the election, it's kind of like they've been unleashed.

[Trade] was clearly a factor.That was a complete reversal of where things are normally at. Usually Republicans are all for free trade.

There's no question that [Donald] Trump got elected because of rural America. And our party still is in denial. They don't get it.

The only thing I can think to do is if the Democratic Party can do what the Republicans have done, which is go in there and take control of these legislatures and governors' areas.

Pushing gun control drives people [in my district] crazy, gay marriage, abortion, deficit spending.All of that stuff adds up to be a problem for Democrats.

I've tried to maintain my independence in Congress. Sometimes that has meant opposing my own party leaders.

Try to un-gerrymander these districts so that you're not packing all the Democrats into one district, so you've got districts that are competitive, so that you've got a shot at electing Democrats. But that's more a long-term proposition, if it can even be done.