In the province of Michigan, Biden won by only 300 votes, the residents are fed up and express their very divided opinions about Trump’s rematch and the ‘nonsense’ in the race
Travel north of Detroit and Flint and right at the ‘thumb’ of Michigan is Saginaw, County, one of the key counties of the 2020 presidential race.
There, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump appear ready to fight it out again in November.
The battleground state had one of the closest presidential elections in the country in 2020, with Biden winning Saginaw County by just over 300 votes.
Speaking to voters there this week suggests the province will see another brutal political season and neck-and-neck race this year.
The willingness to talk randomly about politics is low. Nearly two dozen people on a warm, sunny afternoon seemed less than thrilled with the idea of discussing where they stand on the impending election.
Inquiries led to gritted teeth, narrowed eyes, several head-shaking refusals, accelerated steps to escape, and in one case, a literal hiss.
But for those who were willing to commit around 2024, there appears to be division and dissatisfaction with the same old candidates.
President Biden won Saginaw County, MI against Donald Trump in 2020 by just over 300 votes. Voters there indicated that it could again be an extremely close race in 2024
Trump traveled to the ‘pivot county’ he won in 2016 but lost in 2020 during his day off
On Wednesday, Donald Trump returned to the province for a rally in Freeland, where supporters lined up for hours to enter the outdoor area and cheered as Trump’s plane came to a stop just behind the stage.
The boisterous crowd was energized as they heard some of the ex-president’s biggest hits during the campaign.
Trump was able to visit the state, in a rare move, as his criminal trial involving hush money payments took place that day in New York.
Polls have shown that some potential Trump voters would turn against the ex-president if he were convicted. But those are not the type of voters who attend his rallies. They have already made their decision.
Bert and Gena Smith were waiting in line to attend the meeting. It was their first Trump rally ever, but they voted for the ex-president in both 2016 and 2020. They plan to do this again in 2024.
They’ve been keeping an eye on some of the hush money process, but it won’t change their view of their support in November.
“I think it’s a lot of nonsense,” Gena Smith said. “I think it’s run its course and they’re just wasting our time and money.”
She suggested it is essentially free advertising for the former president. Both told DailyMail.com that the ex-president should have some degree of immunity. But that wasn’t the case for President Biden either.
“If they can prove that he committed all this conspiracy and backdoor deception, I think so,” Smith said of prosecuting the current president.
Trump supporters line up for the Trump rally in Freeland, MI on May 1
Trump supporters watch in Freeland, MI as Trump’s plane pulls up for his rally
Anti-Trump protesters stood outside the ex-president’s rally in Freeland, Michigan, as supporters lined up to get in
But travel 15 minutes away from the rally and other Michiganders show just how divided the state is when it comes to Trump versus Biden.
“In a million years I can tell you who I’m not voting for, and that’s Trump because it’s Trump,” Mark said. ‘Brummeler. His most important issue: not letting Trump become president again.
Brummeler labeled the ex-president a ‘baby wanna be dictator’ with ‘Putinist tendencies’ and called the idea of a president receiving absolute immunity disgusting and shameful.
He will vote for Biden in November, but he is not happy with the choices.
“I’m beyond annoyed that we’re being forced to vote for who we should vote for. The choices are stupid, but hey, there’s no real choice here,” he said.
Theresa Mahan, 31, also said she will “reluctantly” vote for Biden.
shouted Donald Trump during his campaign event in Freeland, MI on Wednesday. A Saginaw County resident who did not attend the rally told DailyMail.com he hopes Trump’s hair “blows away” in the wind during a visit to the state
Trump tries to comb his hair back during a windy campaign event in Freeland. MI. Trump was visiting the ‘pivot county’ that he lost to Biden by just over 300 votes in 2020, but won in 2016
Trump arrives in Waukesha, Wisconsin, ahead of his second visit to Michigan in just over a month. MI voters were divided over his hush money lawsuit and the issue of presidential immunity, depending on which candidate they want to vote for
“With the two-party system, I don’t think we really have much choice about who we can choose that best represents our thoughts,” she said.
She identifies more with Bernie Sanders, but is not sitting out the elections. Her attitude this year is ‘vote blue, it doesn’t matter who.’
Mahan said reproductive rights are a top issue and while “the Democratic party is doing what it can, it’s just not enough.”
She also cited LGBTQ rights, income inequality and social justice as important issues to her.
While Biden swept Saginaw County in 2020, Trump won it in 2016 by just over 1,000 votes on his way to winning the state in an extremely tight race against Hillary Clinton.
Statewide polling shows the race between Biden and Trump is neck-and-neck. The Real Clear Politics average of recent polls shows the ex-president leading the state by just over one point.