Changing hearts and minds one door at a time
In 2024, Beth Ruck pounded the pavement—and dirt roads – of Delaware County. “I wasn’t born to canvass– I’m a private person!” Beth says, “but I had to do something to prevent another four years of Trump.” She wanted to understand what was driving people across rural America to MAGA, and to see if face-to-face conversations could help break down bitterness and misconceptions about Democrats.
“I had canvassed for Ralph Nader groups as a kid, so it wasn’t foreign to me. I had a sense of duty to step up and do what others might not be willing or able to do.” She planted herself at her daughter’s farm in East Meredith and started knocking.
Beth says her dad’s spirit was a “little angel” on her shoulder. She describes him as a super smart, huge-hearted guy with a warm laugh. “And,” she emphasized, “he was a right-winger.” But in rural Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he worked tirelessly to improve people’s lives, regardless of who they were or who they voted for. She believes that, especially now, as people see that Trump has sold them down the river, there is a golden opportunity to connect on shared values, and show that Democrats care. “We need to listen and learn. We can’t convince everyone, but open exchange is the first step toward a culture of true democracy where we solve our common problems together.”
The first objective in 2024 was to reach Democrats, but because voter records tend to be outdated, Beth often found herself talking to Trump voters, independents, and non-voters. Drawing on her training in deep canvassing, she became practiced at connecting with people across differences, and motivating people who had distanced themselves from “politics”.
Deep canvassing emphasizes listening to people talk about their everyday lives, rather than leading with information about candidates. Once some commonality is established, people are often more receptive to hearing how Democratic candidates can address their issues. It’s slow work, but Beth believes that if we’re not able to change hearts and minds, we’ll be forever fighting to win by tiny margins.
Now, Beth is at it again, especially to reach independent (“unaffiliated”) and infrequent voters. She helped bring a deep canvassing approach to Western Catskills Indivisible’s “Broaden the Tent” tabling this summer, and is encouraging other canvassers by offering training and support through DCDC.
“I know canvassing seems daunting,” she says, “but I hope more people will give it a try. It’s fulfilling to authentically connect with people. Some of them I’ve changed—but the experience has also profoundly changed me.”
This article was featured in the September 2, 2026 issue of dcDIGEST.
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