Are suburban Republicans really more moderate?

[GaussLaw]

I think it's been discussed here that suburban Republicans are more moderate than rural Republicans.  Interestingly, this did not hold up at all in the KS-SEN Republican primary.

http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2014/primary-election-results/?state=KS&date=2014-08-05#

Wolf won several of the more suburban Eastern counties in the state but got crushed in rural KS.

In Idaho, Russ Fulcher carried Ada County against Otter.

Perhaps this is worth re-examining.  It seems like a common thread of very conservative states is very Republican suburbs, and these suburbs don't always seem to be more liberal than the rural areas.

[GaussLaw]

Well, off the top of my head: in the case of Kansas, maybe Republicans who live in suburban areas are less concerned about or less supportive of farm subsidies, and therefore would be more likely to support a "true fiscal conservative" over "RINO Roberts"?

Exactly.  It seems easier to be a "true conservative" in a suburb/exurb than in a rural farming area.  It seems like it's taken for granted that the suburban Republicans are the more moderate ones, but this doesn't always seem to be the case at all.

[GaussLaw]

Not really. They're just more civilized and live in developed areas so they have to/know how to hide their bigotry more, but many would love to openly join their barbaric uneducated redneck brothers and sisters.

And people wonder why Democrats struggle in rural areas..........

[GaussLaw]

It's more of a stereotype, but being a former moderate republican from NY, it tends to hold true. Moderate Republicans:

1) Tend to have a high degree of education
2) Care about crime, law & order
3) Are often pro-choice.  You don't see that in rural areas that much.
4) Are pro-gay.  You also don't see this very much.
5) Economically, are conservative, and many hold white collar, financial services jobs.

Well yeah, certainly NY moderate Republicans are like that.   

In general, I would agree with #1 as pretty much always true for suburban Republicans.  They also are probably more socially liberal, but I don't think it's a given that they're more fiscally on the left, especially on issues like farm subsidies. 

Places like Shelby County, AL and Williamson County, TN are well-educated and affluent but also deeply conservative both socially and economically (and quite religious), so I think suburban Republicans can come in all shades.