Not only do they suffer, but numerous people in progressive states also suffer because right-leaning states like Kansas vote the country towards these types of repressive laws.
The voters do respond, eventually. But the ship is slow to turn. With the wave of rural Kansas hospital closures, farmers going out of business due to the tariffs, and stories like the one linked, Medicaid expansion is very popular with the voters. The pressure is only going to grow.
“Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?”
Democratic side is full of candidates who would be moderate Republicans in any other state. None of them are particularly exciting. Though the most recent entry in the race on the Democratic side is a woman who was a leader in the state legislature as a Republican. She changed parties last year due to both Trump and Brownback. Changing parties in a very red state like this is an act of courage, or a foolish act, or the act of someone who knows what the long term trends are. She's the most interesting so far.
I think there's a struggle to motivate national $$ with a moderate message/candidate. But I think we all might be surprised that the truth, the honest personal story, (and the insider electability politics) might be even more valuable than some liberal issue crusader.
She is courageous to a certain degree. But, her move might be accepted more here than in other red states. Kansas is one of the last red states where truly moderate Republicans can still be found in the wild. The moderates have been willing to endorse Democrats from time to time. Laura Kelly was the beneficiary of such in 2018. Many of them will probably endorse Bollier next year.
2020 should be an interesting election year. Kansas waffles between Trump being above or below water in approval. Kansas is also one of the leading states hit by farmer bankruptcies thanks to the tariffs. On top of that, Kelley has decent approval ratings and has been doing a good job. All this combined might make more people than usual willing to "hold their nose" and vote for a Democrat. Trump is almost certain to win, but the state races could be wild.