Lincoln County has voted for a Republican for president every year since 1948. Despite Donald Trump’s video scandal and open war with party leaders, GOP voters there are mostly sticking with the nominee. But many aren’t so happy about it.
DAVENPORT, Lincoln County — Garry Rosman can’t remember the last time he voted for a Democrat for president.
It’s been a while. Maybe never. He thinks they spend too much.
That streak probably won’t end this year.
But for the first time in decades, Rosman, a fourth-generation wheat farmer in rural Lincoln County, isn’t sold on the Republican candidate either. He’s not sure who he’ll vote for.
He looks at Donald Trump and sees a successful businessman, but he also sees six bankruptcies and Trump University accused of fraud and headed toward trial, and he’s dubious about where that success came from.
“The guy looks at bankruptcy as a tool for enhancing his business; that bothers me to the core of my personal belief. Because I’ve got people who have gone bankrupt on me and I’m out dollars, hard-earned dollars
It’s been a while. Maybe never. He thinks they spend too much.
That streak probably won’t end this year.
But for the first time in decades, Rosman, a fourth-generation wheat farmer in rural Lincoln County, isn’t sold on the Republican candidate either. He’s not sure who he’ll vote for.
He looks at Donald Trump and sees a successful businessman, but he also sees six bankruptcies and Trump University accused of fraud and headed toward trial, and he’s dubious about where that success came from.
“The guy looks at bankruptcy as a tool for enhancing his business; that bothers me to the core of my personal belief. Because I’ve got people who have gone bankrupt on me and I’m out dollars, hard-earned dollars,” Rosman said. “If he’s willing to do that to the maid at Trump casino, what’s he willing to do to some poor person in Syria when he wants to bomb them?”
Lincoln County, about as reliably Republican as any county on the West Coast, is going to vote for Trump in November just as surely as Washington state is going to vote for Clinton.
Behind the Vote
About the Series
The Seattle Times is exploring how the state’s political geography — from wheat country to Seattle’s tech centers, from suburbia to pulp-mill towns — is shifting in this historic election year.
Blue-collar jobs in timber and manufacturing continue to wane, leaving a cadre of traditionally Democratic voters economically and politically adrift.
The state’s Latino population is on the rise. But during last year’s general election in Yakima County — now home to as many Latinos as whites — only a small percentage of voters with Spanish surnames voted.
Puget Sound suburbs, once reliable ground for Republican candidates, are growing bluer as college-educated women tend to vote Democratic.
GOP voters in reliably Republican Lincoln County struggle with Trump — but he’ll win there anyway.
Even in close families and friendships, presidential politics has created such a strain that some people have agreed to stop talking until the election is over.
In stories, graphics and videos, “Behind the Vote” offers an election-year portrait of Washington state.
Interviews with residents originally were conducted before a tape leaked of Trump bragging about groping and kissing women without their permission. When contacted again after the tape was leaked, nobody said the 2005 recording changed their mind on the election. But there is a hesitancy about Trump in these farming communities, one that comes with a candidate as unorthodox and unpredictable as any in memory.
“There really is no conservative candidate for president,” said Carol Paul, the chairwoman of the Lincoln County Republican Party and a firm Trump supporter.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/one-of-washingtons-reddest-counties-struggles-with-trump-but-hell-win-there-anyway/
