I'm from the midwest and thought so as well. He has a bit of a southern accent and speaks at a different cadence then you see and hear from the east coast types. What I really like about him is his record as Gov. His record is solidly conservative and he has a great understanding of the issues.
For example zeroing out the budget for foreign aid is a game changer. It places the emphasis on those asking for aid to explain why they should get it, not our representatives fighting to take it away from those that seek to harm us. It's a simple change that is brilliant.