Despite his legal troubles, the billionaire remains adored by millions of Americans… even in certain parts of New York, a metropolis won, by a long way, to the Democrats.
Published on 02/24/2024 07:04
Reading time: 2 min A man wears a t-shirt in support of former US President Donald Trump, during a protest on Staten Island, New York, in August 2023. (FATIH AKTAS / ANADOLU AGENCY)
A 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan, Staten Island is the least populated and least urban neighborhood, but also the reddest (the color of the Republican Party) in New York, where three-quarters of the population voted for Biden in 2020. “Here, it’s Trump we love!” says Lois, whose house is covered in Trump 2024 flags.
In the race for the White House, Donald Trump could take a big step on Sunday February 25 towards the Republican nomination: polls predict him an easy victory in the South Carolina primary, the state where Nikki Haley, his opponent , was nevertheless governor. And Lois is sure of it: “Trump doesn’t owe anyone anything, that’s why he was elected. He did so much good to this country: closing the border, building this wall… But they didn’t let it finish“, defends this voter.
“He has to come back and finish what he started.”
Lois, a Donald Trump supporter
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Watching a documentary devoted to the Battle of Guadalcanal, her husband remembers a younger Donald Trump: “His father owned the buildings across the street. That’s where we lived when we got married and I used to see Donald Trump walking there with his father. Donald was respectful. His policies work, he is a businessman and this country must be run like a business!“, defends the retiree.
“Trump is his own worst enemy”
Like them, 57% of Staten Island chose Trump in 2020 compared to less than 30% in other districts of the city. “It is important to understand that Staten Island’s difference is marked when compared to other New York neighborhoods.deciphers Richard Flanagan, professor of political science. But in many ways, Staten Island is actually much more like the rest of the country than New York City itself.”
And as in the rest of the country, there are also those disappointed with Trumpism. Jim, for example, who voted twice for the billionaire, will abstain this year: “His ego is bigger than the world, but his policies weren’t that bad. If only he didn’t talk so much… Telling us to inject ourselves with bleach? Frankly ! Trump is his own worst enemy“, he tackles. Trump or not Trump? In 2024, Staten Island will remain a conservative island in New York and a neighborhood apart, a sort of little piece of Midwest lost in the big city.
2024-02-24 06:04:35
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