The dust is beginning to settle on President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, but Kansas Democrats remain glum. Promising U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier was defeated by about 12 points despite record spending, while Topeka Mayor Michelle de la Isla lost by nearly 15 points to state Treasurer Jake LaTurner in the 2nd U.S. House District. Even longtime Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley was defeated.

One bright spot for Democrats is Johnson County. The state’s most populous, prosperous and vote rich, JoCo favored Biden by 8 points. This is its first time to vote Democratic since Woodrow Wilson. Sharice Davids will serve a second term as the state’s lone Democrat in Congress, then face a far more daunting foe: Republican-led redistricting.

Associated Press exit polls can help make sense of this, if used properly. Polls are prone to sampling problems, and even the best ones must include a margin of error, often ignored by reporters. They were not designed to predict the results of close elections. Misuse by the news media gives them a bad rap. They are far better tools for breaking down election results than for predicting them. The AP and The New York Times provide exit polling data for each state, and Kansas’ results are revealing.

On many issues, the Kansans surveyed were closer to the Democrats. For example, the coronavirus pandemic edged out the economy and jobs for top priority, 38% to 31%, though health care in general polled a dismal 8%. That last number alone can probably explain Bollier’s defeat; she made health care her signature issue. However, the “public option” polled at 65% support here. It would allow any American to buy into a government-run health care plan and is endorsed by Biden. Mask mandates to contain coronavirus are also popular in Kansas: 74% of those surveyed support them. In addition, Kansans are worried about climate change: 64% of those surveyed are very or somewhat concerned, and 65% would increase federal spending on renewable energy.

Some pundits say that the Black Lives Matter movement hurt Democrats, but these polling numbers tell a different story. Asked about racism in U.S. society, 73% of Kansans thought it was very serious or somewhat serious, while 64% think racism is a serious problem in policing. In fact, 64% think the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul or major changes.

Republicans owned the economy and jobs, with 84% of those who believe the economy and jobs should be the highest priority, favoring the GOP. By contrast, only 67% of those who believed the pandemic should be top priority favored the Democrats. This is typical. On nearly every issue, more voters agreed with Democrats but voted Republican than vice versa. The pattern even holds on outgoing President Donald Trump’s signature issue, the border wall. Kansans are pretty closely divided on the matter, 53% in favor and 46% opposed, but 9% of voters who oppose it voted Republican anyway, while only 4% of those who favor the wall voted Democratic. Tellingly, 67% of Kansans join Trump in advocating higher tariffs on imports. Again contradicting the pundits’ narrative, many Kansans frame these issues as being about jobs, not race.

Party label, the economy and jobs, and abortion rights are not going away, and all help Republicans here. However, there are many bright spots for progressives. Large majorities of Kansas voters surveyed acknowledge the seriousness of racism in general and specifically in policing, support a public option for health care and express concern about climate change.

— Michael A. Smith is a professor of political science at Emporia State University.