Since urban populations tend to vote Democrat, I'd also note that high population density, public transportation and crowded elevators, sidewalks, and other public spaces are just a pathogen's dream when it comes to hopping hosts.
The less urban, the more open space, social distancing comes naturally and easily, and the more likely folks are to vote GOP.
Agree with every point.
Though we are a relatively densely populated state, Ohio has a mix of urban and rural populations. The big cities vote Dem but the rest of the state (including where I live) is quite conservative.
I’ve spent time in your wide open spaces, and understand your lower numbers just because of the sparsely settled areas across a vast expanse.
Here it’s more complex, but I will always believe (based on the facts) that the strong conservative leadership we have in the state and the mitigation that took place early in the game is the reason our numbers are not only lower than the larger states around, but that we have already leveled off in terms of the expected surge.
We have been given factual, honest information about what was going on, and thankfully the vast majority of us have willingly complied, and I think that’s why our state is going to come out of this sooner and more successfully than Michigan and PA where partisan liberalism set them way back.