The locals of a small California town turn out in droves to support Donald Trump for president, despite being in a Democratic heartland.
Discovery Bay, east of Contra Costa County, in San Francisco Bay, is home to just one supermarket, as well as a harbor and a yacht club.
The city is an anomaly in the largely Democratic state of California, where the majority of residents support Trump in the 2020 election.
Residents Paul and Connie Rodgers, both Republicans, had moved to Discovery Bay from nearby Marin County in 2017 without realizing the city was red.
Connie told me The San Francisco Chronicle she had bit her tongue about her political views for years and said moving to the area felt like “being gay in the closet.”
Discovery Bay locals are seen here decked out in MAGA hats and patriotic clothing for a Trump boat parade held last month
Paul and Connie Rodgers, seen here, are both Republicans and moved to Discovery Bay from nearby Marin County in 2017 without realizing the city was red
The two told the outlet that they are free to have their political discussions and disagreements without feeling villainized.
Connie was initially nervous about the move from their old home, but said she overcame her nerves when her conservative views met with approval.
Connie said she overcame her nerves by moving to the area when her conservative views met with approval
Paul, an Air Force veteran, had wanted to move to a smaller one-story home and have the opportunity to have his own boat, docked on the pontoon in the deck in his backyard.
They had both voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, with Connie contesting that she sometimes wished he would talk less.
Despite their attraction to Trump, they admitted they preferred his running mate Senator JD Vance.
The couple has been together for 49 years and describes themselves as moderates. Connie was originally a Democrat before changing her position.
Paul said, “People don’t talk about their ailments. They talk about their boats and fashionable cocktails. It’s just a very refreshing place to live.’
Despite wearing a Trump hat while talking to the outlet, he said he refuses to use Trump bumper stickers when he drives back to Marin County to see family.
The city recently held a boat parade especially for President Trump, with locals happily waving Trump flags from the backs of their boats.
The city recently held a boat parade especially for President Trump, with locals happily waving Trump flags from the backs of their boats
The locals also decorated themselves for the occasion with their MAGA hats and patriotic clothing.
Jennifer Mix, who has lived in the area for 20 years, is the secretary of the local Republican Party.
Shocked by the political and cultural attitudes in California, she found herself in Discovery Bay and prefers a slower and conservative lifestyle than the state.
She told the outlet, “Everyone has a boat. Even if you don’t live on the water, their boats are in the marina.’
Mix described the community as a “safety zone” because of the problems plaguing California cities, including widespread drug use and homelessness.
She said Republicans don’t feel heard and “can be a little forgotten here,” since the majority of politicians representing the area are Democrats.
She is an enthusiastic Trump voter and believes many others also support the former president.
Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, speaks at a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday
She said she was “absolutely confident” he will have the majority of the city’s support.
The couple and Mix are both concerned about the economy and immigration, two central campaign issues.
Connie and Paul break away from typical Republican beliefs and believe strongly in reproductive rights and want abortion to be legalized.
The area’s average age is around 44 years old, almost six years higher than California’s average age of 42.4 years.
Home prices are also drastically lower than nearby San Francisco, with costs of $371 per square foot – compared to $958 per square foot in the city.
Census figures also indicate that Discovery Bay is older, whiter and more native than the rest of the state of California.