I believe the difference is found in reliance. To live in a city, you rely on the government to provide a number of things including water, power, police, fire, etc. It is also necessary to rely on others for many basic needs such as food, transportation, education, etc.
So the society model is different between city and country. In the city, an individual specializes and get paid a salary. Then uses money to obtain other needs. In the country / rural model, the individual must generalize and produce their needs themselves, thus reducing their costs and can then live on a lesser income.
This causes a change in fundamental views of the world. In the city, one must go along in order to get along. They must live with fewer freedoms and are more dependent on others. In the country, one must produce for themselves and thus want fewer restrictions on what they can do. The can be independent and value freedom above conformity.
In the past city government did provide these services at a reasonable price and were mostly covered under property taxes. Those days are gone. Trash pick-up is paid with a fee. School bus pick-up is paid with a fee. High School sports fee. Water and sewer, abusrd rates. Power, pay through the nose. Public transportation, rates keep climbing bi-annually while services are scaled back. If you are a taxpayer in the city you pay more for less. At the rate we are going taxes will be collected for no services and all services including police will be fee based. It makes no sense why a city taxpayer would vote democrat. Also don’t forget the welfare vote in cities is around 40%. Throw in government unions and democrats have a lock on 50% of a cities vote. The other half are just stupid.
Yes, your typical NYC liberal points to all the needed and useful guv services in the City as a reason to be pro-big government generally.
I’d add, however, that racial privileges (i.e., affirmative-action) brings about pro-big government voting solidarity in the favored minorities whether they are rural or urban.