I have just arrived in north-eastern Pennsylvania for the dog days of summer in a former mining community nestled among beautiful hills by the mighty Susquehanna river. In 2020 it was a riot of Donald Trump flags and yard signs, portraying him as Rambo brandishing a bazooka and in other heroic poses. Today, there are almost none. It is a shocking turnaround. Are Trump supporters lying low or have they disappeared?
This is Luzerne county, part of the Democratic “blue-wall” that crumbled in 2016 and propelled Trump to victory against Hillary Clinton. In 2020 Trump beat Joe Biden here by 57 per cent to 42 per cent. People used to boast they were “proud deplorables” in response to Clinton’s famous insult. Where have they all gone? I can’t say for sure, but the neighbourhood feels moderately more prosperous, younger, more diverse and less angry. Near-full employment and the absence of the pandemic may have something to do with the atmosphere.
Julia Robins, 44, has a rare Biden- Harris 2024 sign on her front lawn, which she is waiting to update. Her next-door neighbours were big Trump supporters four years ago; today she is not sure. I asked her what was different about this year’s campaign. Robins believes Trump voters are no longer feeling loud and proud. “They don’t want people to know they support him. After what happened on January 6, I wouldn’t want people to know I was a Trump supporter.” The same goes for Roe v Wade, she added, citing the supreme court’s reversal of abortion rights.
Robins has three daughters and four grand-daughters. “My mother is a registered independent. My sister’s a registered independent. All voting Democratic,” she emphasised.
Her fiancé is a registered Republican, who thought Biden was too old to run, but will probably vote for Harris. “He’s got to live with me for the rest of his life,” Robins quipped. She was not sure about her 24-year-old son, who likes guns, but hoped he could be persuaded.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Only £65k a month to live like Boy George
The Karma Chameleon singer listed his house for £17m in 2022, turning down offers. Now, he's looking for a tenant
Welcome to London, unicorn capital of Europe
We're flying far ahead of anywhere outside US for tech investment
Arteta's Arsenal evolution The next phase
Malik Ouzia and Simon Collings assess how the Spaniard will try to bring down Man City after he signs up for another three years with the title in his sights
Title fight catches fire after Gunners embrace dark side
Arsenal-City clashes take on a welcome edge of animosity
Whack the hippy gong-boho's back
It happened in Paris one grey February day. Sienna Miller was in an oversized, black leather jacket, lace-trimmed silk slip and clumpy great wedges.
There's a Starlink waiting in the sky... 7,000 in fact.Can Elon Musk stop them crashing to Earth?
As he was preparing his fields for seeding this year, Barry Sawchuk came across a giant slab of space debris. It had come from a spacecraft belonging to Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX.
'Politicians are only into power-mongering, corruption and cronyism'
We speak to alt revolutionary DEEPAK CHOPRA about biomarkers, his digital twin and his work to save humanity from disease
I've been waiting for a production of Godotthis brilliant all my life
Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati bring a potent, tragicomic chemistry to James Macdonald’s rich revival of Samuel Beckett’s challenging play.
Trust me, the Ritz is London's bestrestaurant
To whom we turn in moments of gloom and glory can be instructive, a filter of our truest friends. I've fallen out with the Ritz a couple of times, including once after a visit to the bar which didn’t warrant a review (“But you said it was lovely!” they said.
'Healing is a dirty word'
After four traumatic years, FKA twigs is back with a new album -and a thrilling metamorphosis
