re: Half of the U.S. Population lives in these counties.

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More diverse areas are usually more liberal. They have no choice but to be tolerant of others beliefs, religion, race, etc.

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We've seen from recent news very liberal areas are in fact not tolerant of other people's beliefs and riots start over simple speeches.

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More diverse areas are usually more liberal. They have no choice but to be tolerant of others beliefs, religion, race, etc. People in smaller towns are closer knit and more likely to not want change or outsiders. They feel threatened.

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THIS! 1000%!

Also, people who live in cities rely more on, and understand the benefit of, public services and infrastructure. In a big city, you NEED things like well-maintained streets, garbage pickup, hospitals, public transit, etc., things that rural folks don't necessarily care as much about or need. If the government shuts down or runs out of money, you feel it really quickly in a city, but in rural areas it sometimes isn't felt until the agricultural subsidy checks and loan guarantees, disability and welfare checks for the poor, etc. don't come, which usually takes longer. Realizing the value of such services, people in cities tend to be more willing to pay taxes to have them. This is apparently a liberal concept in the eyes of conservatives who think government is an unnecessary burden, or at best a necessary evil, except when it's subsidizing their farms, bailing out their banks, loaning money to their businesses, etc.