The Rust Belt's Pandemic Resilience Could Help Trump
Some key swing states are faring better than the rest of the country.
President Donald Trump speaks to workers at a Whirlpool factory in Clyde, Ohio.
Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images North AmericaThis recession has featured extreme differences in pain levels between companies and industries based on their exposure to the pandemic. States are no different. Those reliant on travel and services are basically in depressions. Those more exposed to manufacturing are relatively better off – which may be good news for President Donald Trump’s re-election hopes.
State employment data from July make these trends clear. It’s why New York City and Los Angeles have unemployment rates close to 20%. But Rust Belt states that were key to the 2016 election, such as Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, seem to be suffering something more like a typical recession.