As a moderate independent turned Republican campaigning for county prosecutor, I recently met and spoke with many citizens across the county. Consequently, I think I gained insight into Douglas County’s political opinions. So, here’s what I learned from embracing the Republican affiliation in an affluent, predominantly one-party university town.

There is discontent with all governance, particularly at the county level. Citizens living outside Lawrence — and even many within the city — feel ignored and disconnected from public officials. Like national trends, Lawrence is estranged from smaller communities and rural areas. Most concerns are centered on economic issues, especially fiscal transparency and taxation. Few complaints revolve around cultural issues, but there is a recurring sentiment that the government and residents of Lawrence often come across as superior, self-serving and condescending. Many feel politically powerless because affluent voters in Lawrence tend to vote Democratic almost automatically, and they believe that this party no longer represents their interests.

Small business owners and working-class individuals in the county live in a different world from the more privileged groups in the city. They don’t follow partisan online news sources or donate to NPR and have not accumulated substantial 401(k) accounts. They can’t buy homes and are increasingly squeezed by rent hikes thanks to ongoing property tax increases. They are not living in $450,00-plus homes and driving new cars to their tech, academic or professional jobs. They don’t have the time or money to purchase an ACLU card or feel ashamed while vacationing in Europe.

Most Americans, including citizens of Douglas County, do not share the same economic realities as more privileged, self-described liberals who lament the outcomes of the recent election. These individuals feel that the government overlooks their daily struggles and that the economy mainly benefits wealthy professionals. The sentiment, both locally and nationally, has now become the majority viewpoint, which helps explain the election of someone as controversial as Donald Trump. A clear indication of this shift is that the Democratic Party has lost support from the working class and rural America. Unfortunately, this observation may also apply to Lawrence. Ironically, the once liberal and radical city of Lawrence may have transformed into an elite blue stronghold that caters to the affluent and well-educated. While this is difficult to accept and may seem contradictory to its self-image, this change may have occurred.

— Mike Warner, a longtime federal prosecutor, was the Republican candidate in the recent race for Douglas County district attorney.