Into Trump’s America is a nonpartisan investigative reporting project to meet the people of nine key counties who are essential to understanding the Trump phenomenon. Our goal is to foster better understanding and a more civil discourse in the age of Trump.
The Florida governor’s race was regarded by many as a proxy war between President Trump and the progressive Left whose revival is in large part fueled by their resistance to him.
One of the country’s most-watched races goes tribal: North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District race may hinge on which candidate Native American voters support
Conservatives often mock liberals for inventing the concept of safe spaces, places on college campuses where students can express themselves without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. But conservatives have their own safe spaces. And in the Trump era, none is safer than a Trump rally.
On November 1, 2017, Daniel and Jordan Allott spoke at a forum titled "Understanding Trump's America" at the Kennedy School at Harvard University. During the hour-long forum, Daniel and Jordan presented their findings from nine months of reporting from counties that were pivotal in the 2016 presidential election. The presentation included audience questions and short videos of some of the people the Allotts encountered in "Trump's America."
“I’m trying to educate people in Erie about Indian food. But this truck is my wife's. She saved my life. She gave me new life after I lost a lot of money (while living in California during the financial crisis). This is all hers. I want to do this for her.”
Sam, Erie, Pa.
“My personal motivation for running for mayor was to create an environment where both my kids who live elsewhere will want to move back. They’re both in high tech jobs, and if the jobs were here, they’d move back.”
Joe Schember, mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania
"Listen, Erie is a jewel. It really is. There’s so much opportunity, so much potential. But we have to be willing to embrace the challenges until the changes manifest. Three of my sisters left Erie, they left. I could have left but I refused to."
Michael Outlaw, community liaison, City of Erie, Pa
"I’ll say this, every time I suffered a layoff in my working career there was a Democratic president. Bill Clinton, Obama. And what really ticked me off about Obama was that he basically said, ‘I’m going to bring the coal industry to its knees.’ And a large majority of the locomotives built at GE are BNSF locomotives. And that’s mostly what they haul is coal. So when the coal industry dies, the locomotive manufacturing business takes a nosedive.”
Allen Ewanick, Erie County, PA.
Iraqi-American photographer Maitham Basha-Agha standing in front of some of the portraits in his collection called, “Rust Belt New Americans: A Showcase of Erie’s Refugee Population,” displayed at Ember and Forge, a coffee shop in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Maitham Basha-Agha, Erie County, Pa.
"Erie didn’t have a massive heart attack like Pittsburgh. What we had was chronic bronchitis. To cure yourself of the chronic bronchitis you have to stop things. You have to stop smoking and exercise more and eat better and make better mental health decisions. All that stuff is happening in Erie right now."
-Jake Rouch, vice president of the Economic Development Division at Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership.
“Everyone deserves someplace to die with dignity."
Kathy, a resident of The Inn Between, America’s only hospice center for homeless people, located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“For many the hardest thing is not the actual dying but the regret,” says Matilda Lindgren (right). “It’s amazing how many people develop a passion for our work,” adds Kim Correa
Kim Correa (L) and Matilda Lindgren of the Inn Between, a one-of-its-kind hospice center for homeless people in Salt Lake City.
“I don’t want my name on any bridges or buildings. I’m just a plain old guy. I come from dirt.”
Mike Kennedy, Utah State Rep. and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate
Question: Is there anything Trump has done that you like?
“Trump has done a hell of a job making my job easier in terms of getting people involved. He’s everything that I stand against. That sounds hyperbolic, but he is an entitled child that thrives on the anger and fear of millions of gullible Americans.”
Alex Cragun, executive director of the Utah Democratic Party
“I told you last time I ran that Donald Trump was going to win, and you called me ‘stupid.’ Well you’re stupid!”
Larry Livingston, Salt Lake County, Utah
“When I see the way Mia Love follows orders from Paul Ryan, it’s like she’s a robot. And trust me, as a robotics engineer, I know a robot when I see one.”
Tom Taylor, U.S. Senate candidate during his speech at the 2018 Utah Democratic Convention
“Like Mitt, I served as a missionary in France and am a High Priest in the LDS church. I’m 6’1” and have a great head of hair with just the right amount of grey.”
Mitchell Vice, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Utah
How does it feel to become U.S. citizens?
Jasmine: “For me, your country is not where you’re born. It’s where you feel home, safe, welcomed, accepted, equal and protected by the law."
Ali: "My loyalty toward the U.S. didn’t change since day one and will never change. So saying the oath just confirmed that loyalty."
Jasmine Alsabunji and Ali Dawood, Erie County, Pa.
“We are not ‘Bikers Who Think We Know Best.' We are ‘Bikers for Trump.’ He has to point the direction. He’s the compass. We don’t ever get ahead of him.”
Chris Cox, Founder of Bikers for Trump, Volusia County, Florida
“When I come here, people was really open with me. I had really nice people. I had really nice friends. Everyone here is so friendly.”
Carmen Lisowski, a Mexican immigrant living in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
A constituent's question: “Are you going to sort them out in Washington?”
Rep. Robert Pittenger: “We already did!"
Rep. Robert Pittenger, Robeson County, N.C.
“I see a lack of empathy on both sides. The same people who are offended by Civil War monuments cannot understand why taking a knee [during the national anthem at football games to protest racial inequality] offends me for something I hold sacred.”
Donnie Douglas, editor-in-chief of The Robesonian newspaper in Robeson County, N.C.
"To see someone elected to the highest office in the land who is the antithesis of [Mormon] values, it was the breaking point."
Sharlee Mullins Glenn, Salt Lake County, Utah
Question: Being half Mexican, how did you feel when Donald Trump called most illegal immigrants from Mexico rapists and drug dealers?
Jim McCuen of Volusia County, Florida: “I nodded my head in agreement because I have actual experience with it. I lived in Mexico. I lived in Costa Rica, where you can’t leave your car unlocked, they’ll steal the paint off of it….People have no idea what it’s like to live in a country where petty crime is a fixture of daily life. They have no idea."
Jim McCuen, Volusia County, Florida
Question: What did you make of Hillary Clinton blaming her presidential election loss in part on married, white women for not standing up to men who pressured then to vote for Trump?
Sandy Chilson: "It was insulting, and clearly displays her lack of connection with real people..”
Chris Chilson: “Women can think for themselves.”
Sandy and Chris Chilson, Howard County, Iowa
“I think he’s doing awesome. Remember that song by Stephen Stills, ‘If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with’? The ones that don’t like [Trump], they should take that song to heart, because he’s doing a great job.”
Chris Cox, founder of Bikers for Trump, Volusia County, Florida
Question: Describe Trump's presidency in one word:
Tiffany Powers: "Train wreck."
"I will say, not that it’s necessarily his doing, but people were so enthusiastic about Trump being in the White House that Smart 529 college savings plans became more prevalent. I set one up for my daughter and my son. So, thank you, Mr. President!”
Tiffany Powers, Robeson County, N.C.
“I know people are open to my candidacy because they voted for Trump."
Jarrod Lowery of Robeson County, N.C., a Republican running for North Carolina’s 47th House District seat.
“The tensions with North Korea had me very concerned, because my son is 18 and in the Marine reserves. But the announcement last night [of a possible summit between the U.S. and North Korea] kind of eased my burden.I was concerned with Trump’s ‘Rocket Man’ comments. Is he inciting a war here? Now looking back, maybe he was doing the right thing.”
Mark Locklear, Robeson County, N.C.
“We have not seen Trump’s support die down at all. But we’ve seen from Trump supporters anger at the media, who distort what he says and darken everything he does.”
Dr. Phillip Stephens, chairman of the Robeson County Republican Party, N.C.
“[Hispanic immigrants] will still come. They won’t care about border restrictions, including a wall. They’ll go over or under the wall, it won’t matter. They’ll still get here and I’ll help them no matter what the law is,” says Richard. "As long as they’re not criminals. We tell them to stay home,” Jackie said. Richard adds, “Right. As long as they’re not criminals.”
Richard and Jackie, Trempealeau County, Wisc.
“If I would get sent back [to Mexico], the way of life is way different over there compared to here. It would be something to get used to, for sure.”
Gerardo Gonzalez, a DACA recipient from Trempealeau County, Wisc.
"I don’t know Honduras. I have nothing there. I have nothing more than my birth there. I love this country. I feel like I’m between a country that doesn’t want me and a country I don’t know.”
Ramon Ramos, a DACA recipient from Trempealeau County, Wisc.
“Without the influx [of Hispanic immigrants], we would be cutting programs and staff, just like other districts. We would be cutting jobs left and right, so they’re definitely a plus for us and our economy. We have job openings in the community already. I can’t imagine what it’d be like without them here.”
Louis Ferguson, superintendent of the Arcadia School District in Trempealeau County, Wisc.
“Orange County has changed demographically here in the last 20 years, both economically and ethnically. Also, the Trump campaign made a smart strategic decision to ignore California with respect to campaigning. So there was no effort at top of ticket to turn out the vote. It turned out to be a wise decision. But in California, it depressed the vote. In Orange County, we didn’t get great turnout.”
Fred Whitaker, Republican Party chairman, Orange County, CA
“It’s too soon to hate him,” Eddie Lopez he tells fellow Hispanics about President Trump.
Eddie Lopez, Orange County, CA
“We’re usually begging people to run. But now we have an abundance of talent. If it was two years ago and any one of these individuals had raised their hands, we would have been absolutely delighted.”
Fran Sdao, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Orange County, CA
“Personally speaking, I have no problem with who people vote for. What is unfortunately happening is if I begin to see you as my permanent enemy, or as a lesser human being, that is very unhealthy for civilization. One thing that bothers me a lot…every human being deserves equal respect and dignity. That should not be compromised or stripped away.”
Shakeel Syed, Orange County, CA
"I’m a woman, and I voted for Trump. So the people who are in hell with me, I like. It’s such a double standard. People are so sick of politicians. The Clintons have done so much that they should be in jail for. To me, Hillary Clinton should be in jail. I voted for Trump because he wasn’t Hillary."
Lois Morales, Orange County, CA
“If kids getting murdered didn’t change the conversation [on gun control], I don’t know what will."
Chris Danou, Trempealeau County, Wisc.
“We used to call the one lone Democrat running in the county the ‘sacrificial lamb,’ because we wouldn’t get support from the state or national parties. Now, with the Trump effect, so many more women are running, more progressives in Orange County are running.”
Sherri Loveland, president of National Women's Political Caucus of Orange County, CA
Question: Are Mormons receptive to the Democratic message?
Crystal Young-Otterstrom, treasurer of the Utah Democratic Party and former head of LDS Dems: "Sadly, half our work is getting Democrats to be welcoming to Mormons. They don’t like Mormons, Mormon candidates or delegates. I get it. Many of them have had negative experiences with Mormons…. [but] Democrats really need to wise up to being more welcoming to faith voters.”
Crystal Young-Otterstrom, Salt Lake County, Utah
“I’m more and more becoming a big fan of Trump, because it’s all about the economy. It really is.”
Chris Chilson, Howard County, Iowa
"I don't agree with the [NFL] protests, but I signed up to die to defend the right for them to do it.”
George Martin, former sailor, Macomb County, Mich.
"I have maintained in working with the [Utah] legislature that a lot of Mormons are Democrats, they just don’t know it yet, because with both groups there really is a sense of taking care of the least among us."
Jen Dailey-Provost, Democratic candidate for Utah Legislature, Salt Lake County
Question: Describe President Trump’s first year in office in one word.
Bill Hamilton: "Amazing."
Bill Hamilton, state senator, Upshur County, WV
Describe President Trump's first year in office in one word:
Patel: "Erratic."
Pramit Patel, Robeson County, N.C.
Describe President Trump's first year in office in one word:
Walker: "Unpatriotic. In my view, persistent dishonesty from the nation's chief executive is unpatriotic, as is racist posturing and bullying."
Tom Walker, Salt Lake County, Utah
"I voted for Trump partly in hopes that he could make bipartisanship possible again. That hasn't happened. Let’s hope that the next year brings about this realignment. But with the mid-terms ahead, we will likely see both sides remain polarized."
Mike Gooder, Howard County, Iowa
Describe President Trump's first year in office in one word:
Khalasawi: "Destruction. ...We respect this country, we love it. We pay our taxes. We voted for Trump because the things he said and he lied to us. I’m so embarrassed to say this but our president lied to us."
Sumar Khalasawi, Macomb County, Mich.
“We West Virginians have a low number of PhDs per capita, but our BS meters work flawlessly. Being unpolished, and unapologetic, despite the occasional compulsive tweets, are attributes that make [Trump] an effective ambassador for our nation. He's said what he intends to do and does it."
Bryan Ward, sheriff, Hardy County, W.V.
“President Trump does not embody America’s highest ideals. He invokes fear by his ignorance, tempestuousness, and lack of professionalism. He threatens democratic principles by attacking the free press, the judiciary, and the election process."
Sean Fedorko, Erie County, Pa.
“Horrified,” “fear” and “dystopian.” These were some of the words five Mormon women in Salt Lake City used to describe President Trump's first year in office. Some are registered Republicans, and none struck me as hard-core liberals. But they all agreed that Trump’s main accomplishment has been to activate those who oppose him, including themselves.
Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Salt Lake County, Utah
Describe President Trump's first year in office in one word.
Tiffany Powers: "Horrible. [Trump] is dismantling Obama’s legacy to the detriment of this country.His Tax Reform is an affront to the American Dream and he has brought shame and ridicule to the office of President of the United States of America."
Tiffany Powers, Robeson County, N.C.
Describe President Trump’s first year in office in one word.
Alan Taylor: "'Finally.' After years of Republican leaders being run over by Democrats and the mainstream media, someone has 'finally' fought back. It has been a joy to watch him fight back. It has also been entertaining to watch his enemies lose their minds."
Alan Taylor, Baptist preacher, Robeson County, N.C.
"At times, President Trump has been brilliant this year. And yet at times he has seemed petty, impulsive, and divisive. Our nation is ripping apart because of how many seem to hate Trump versus those who want to support him."
Pastor Greg Johnson, Salt Lake County, Utah
Describe President Trump's first year in office in one word.
Chris Danou: "Can you use 'shit-show' in your paper? If not, my next choice would be 'grotesque. I can't believe that so many people, people that I believed were fundamentally good, decent, Wisconsinites, people that I was proud to represent, voted for him."
Chris Danou, Trempealeau County, Wisc.
"It's very traditional in all of Iraq's workplaces that each new employee should invite all the other employees in the department for lunch, and we should make it after getting our first paycheck. In the lunch all others employees will welcome the new person at the workplace and wish him or her good luck."
Hiba (Tulip) Alquzaee, an Iraq refugee living in Erie County, PA
“Oh, my. ‘Shit hole countries’? I am concerned now. I’m a pendulum. There are days I sway in a positive direction [about Trump], then he tweets or says something stupid and my thought changes to negativity.”
Mark Locklear, Robeson County, N.C.
“For me personally, I have great concerns. I think the president of the United States should be a moral man. That doesn’t always happen. I feel like if somebody will cheat on their wife, how can we trust them not to cheat us? If he were ever to say,'I’ve learned a lot, I’m sorry and I’ll never do it again...’ but he says he’s never repented. He’s never said he was sorry. I have a real problem with that.”
Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum, Salt Lake County, Utah
“What is a little bit different about Utah Republicanism is, even though it is quite conservative, it’s not a hard-edged conservatism. It’s always tempered with the importance of family, community, compassion, and giving people resources to solve their own problems. Republican Utahans don’t frame [their conservatism] in the same way Republicans in Texas might.”
Matthew Burbank, professor of political science at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
"Evangelicals saw the Access Hollywood video as sabotage, and directed their anger at all things Hillary. Mormons saw it as proof of Donald Trump’s poor character."
Pastor Greg Johnson, Salt Lake County, Utah
“Five years ago I came from the desert (Baghdad, Iraq), where the temperature gets up to 150F and there is sometimes no power in your house to even turn a small fan on! Today I’ve been living in Erie, PA where snow is no joke. In my first year, 2012, I stood in front of the frozen Lake Erie, and the first words I said were, “This is heaven,” and I still feel the same. Snow is my joy, snowflakes are like summer breezes for me, snow brings the child inside of me!”
Jasmine Alsabunji, Erie County, PA
“When you’re engaging in misconduct, to then have the taxpayer bail you out for the misconduct, and then keep it all secret from the public, that is just totally unacceptable."
Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis
“We need to come away from ‘We are not them’ and come forward with big bold ideas. Can anyone sit down and say what the Democrats are for that’s new and different? What’s our tax plan? Do we have one? Regulations—who’s making the argument that they are good?”
Laura Hubka, Howard County
“Look at the stock market,” she wrote. The stock market has reached record highs in recent months, and Trump hasn’t been shy about taking credit for it, writing that it is booming “because of me.”
Sandy Chilson, Howard County
“Trump inadvertently sparked a serious conversation about police brutality by insulting protesters. These things would not have happened had Clinton won."
Darryl Howard, MaComb County
“This is huge for my business,” said Ray Blum, owner of a Dairy Queen franchise in West Virginia, about the tax bill."
Ray Blum, Grant County
Pramit Patel, who owns a Best Western franchise in Robeson County, North Carolina likes the Republican tax bill but wishes Congress would have considered linking tax rates to an area’s relative wealth.
Pramit Patel, Robeson County
“Why anyone would oppose this bill is beyond me,” said Jack Brandenburg of Macomb County, Michigan.
Jack Brandenburg, MaComb County
“I've seen a lot of change. Positive change" since Donald Trump became president, said Susan Walker, a business owner in Robeson County, North Carolina.
Susan Walker, Robeson County
"I don't think the president is a bad person inside himself," said Elizabeth Weight, who represents Utah's 31st district in the Utah House of Representatives. "But he doesn't have a clue about my neighborhood. And I don't think he cares."
Elizabeth Weight, Salt Lake County
“The best chance of recovery is for people to lean on God,” he said. “Almost all the people who have pulled themselves through have done so because of faith. We are never going to be able to arrest your way out of the problem, because there’s a never-ending supply of possible users.”
Bryan Ward, Grant County
"I like the people, they welcome us, and I have never had a bad experience with anybody. A lot of people try to communicate with the Hispanic community. I know there’s a lot of Hispanics who are going to English classes, and they’re trying also to get better with English.”
Jackie, Grant County
“I think part of [Trump’s success in Howard County] was just people thought, things aren’t working, we’ve tried Republicans, we’ve tried Democrats, it hasn’t worked for us. Telling people that he’s going to make America great again, when it hasn’t seemed very great for you, that’s hopeful.”
Courtney Rowe, Howard County
“I want to see the money. Show me the money. Show me where you’re going to put the money in helping the United States with this horrible epidemic."
Cindy Corbin, Grant County
“Mr. President you are allowing haters to pull you down to their level. Mr. President please rise above this and focus on the job at hand, it is yours for four years.”
Mark Locklear, Robeson County
“I think he instilled in people a hope that people in cities were going to matter again, and they were going to be part of the policies going forward, especially the economic policies. That’s what people are betting on.”
Mayor Joseph Sinnott, Erie County
“For the people who live [in Grant County], Trump offered a change and it was worth taking a risk,” said Ray Blum, who owns a Dairy Queen in Petersburg, West Virginia. "Trump has been a breath of fresh air.”
Ray Blum, Grant County
Josh is a Donald Trump voter who said the president is “doing well” overall but is “50-50” in his response to Hurricane Maria. He wishes the administration had reacted faster and done more to help repair the island’s damaged infrastructure.
Josh, Volusia County
“In the same day, 18 people get killed in this checkpoint. I’m the only survivor … I just lost my arm and I run away.”
Abdul Sitar, Erie County
Petersburg in Grant County, West Virginia is an area devastated by the opioid crisis. “If I ever lost my clean date—August 29, 2014—I don’t think I would try going through this all again,” said Brenda of the difficult recovery process. “I would go to heroin, overdose and end it.”
Brenda & Adam, Grant County
Meet "the Trumpettes." These ladies worked to register 60,000 voters in Volusia County, Florida. “Trump is just the messenger,” Maryann Pistilli (left) said. “The election wasn’t so much about Trump as about ‘we the people.’”
The Trumpettes, Volusia County
“He backs us. That means a lot. Because I know there's been a couple of police-involved shootings, and he's actually spoken about those at press conferences."
Jeremy Franks, Grant County
“It’s not just about going out into the field and killing. It’s more important to us to have a good ethical hunt, harvest a few birds, and then prepare it immediately so that people can really understand what hunting is about."
Michael Gooder, Howard County
“Keep doing exactly what you’re doing, because all my friends and relatives agree with what you’re doing,” says West Virginia State Representative Allen Evans when asked if he had any advice for the president. “I’ll ditto that,” fellow representative Bill Hamilton added.
WV State Reps. Allen Evans and Bill Hamilton, Grant County
“I know first hand from just my division when I worked in Erie, of 125 employees out of three shifts, every single one of us voted for Trump for the same reason. We wanted change."
David Moore, Erie County
“We're in a county where no Republican gets elected unless a Democrat votes for them."
Phillip Stephens, Robeson County Republican Party Chairman
“It’s very hard being a Democrat in West Virginia,” said Sharon Nichols. “But oh the people are wonderful.”
Sharon and Duane Nichols, Grant County
“Companies are interviewing 50 people and only 10 qualify." State Del. Allen Evans (right), who represents much of Grant County, West Virginia, said that employers are unable to fill vacancies because of drug testing requirements.
State Del. Allen Evans, Grant County
Donald Trump is “taking us down a really dangerous path,” says Barbara Henderson of West Virginia. Nonetheless she and other Democrats agree that most of his supporters seemed happy with him.
Barbara Henderson, Grant County
“I think he's missing a couple of the countries — Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan — that should be on the ban list."
Pramit Patel, Robeson County
“The truth of the matter is I think people will be disappointed when they don't see some of those economic changes happen like they had hoped."
Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie County
Macomb County resident Darryl Howard knew Trump would win the election when he got caught up in a traffic jam caused by a Trump rally a couple of days before the election. The traffic, he said, “was lined up for miles."
Darryl Howard, MaComb County
“[Trump] won the whole state, where not every county is experiencing the same [demographic] situation that we do."
Fr. Sebastian Kolodziejczyk, Trempealeau County
“Most of the groups that [Democrats] are interested in tend to be in urban areas. And they’ve lost track of the rural voter and they have to start paying attention to those people," says University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political scientist Joe Heim.
Joe Heim, Trempealeau County
"I don't think the country has the morals and values to take an issue like this head on and deal with it, Charlie said referring to the opioid crisis, which has hit West Virginia particularly hard."
Charlie Combs, Grant County
“Hunting is just a huge part of my world. I heard over and over again from the election judges that if Hillary won, people would not be able to fill their freezer. This is really important in a rural area, because people do hunt for food, and they have for generations. It’s not just Republicans."
Wisconsin State Sen. Kathy Vinehou, Trempealeau County
“I have a friend who lives in D.C., and I tell him I live in Erie. He says, ‘This is redneck area where nobody likes refugees.’ This is not right. I said, ‘I live there four years and people are so nice, so caring."
Jasmine Alsabunji, Erie County
“Unless every gun on the street is eliminated, people are going to find ways to get guns. Frankly, if a few more people in the crowd had had guns, [the Las Vegas massacre] might not have been as bad as it was.”
Republican North Carolina St. Sen. Danny Britt, Robeson County
“People have asked me about BLM, and it won’t make some of your viewers happy, but I’m sorry, I come from the perspective, all lives matter. I absolutely do. I don’t care what color you are. I don’t care what religion you are. All lives matter and have value."
Rep. Paul Mitchell, MaComb County
“Our community, they feel welcome, are welcome, so they open their arms for us,” said Carmen, a Mexican immigrant. “And this is why I am so happy to live in this place.”
Carmen, Trempealeau County
“If I owned the team and they did not stand, their asses would be gone,” said Jack Brandenburg, a straight-talking Republican state senator who represents part of Macomb County, Michigan, a county that single-handedly delivered Trump the vote differential to win Michigan.
Jack Brandenburg, MaComb County
“The people that are purists on the progressive side of the party [are] saying, ‘This is our platform, if you’re a candidate and you’re okay with guns, we don’t want to support you.’ [But] it’s Iowa. People have guns, you know?”
Laura Hubka, Howard County
“Kid Rock says it like it is,” one woman said. “He’s not politically correct, and honestly politicians should be like that.” Many concertgoers sported signature Kid Rock jerseys that say, "Fucks Given: 00."
Kid Rock Concertgoers, MaComb County
"We need someone in there with common sense and who will get things done for us,” a woman attending his concert wearing a Kid Rock for Senate '18 T-shirt said.
Kid Rock Concertgoer, MaComb County
"Eventually he's going to get killed,” said Sumar Khalasawi, a Chaldean Christian living in Macomb County, Michigan of her detained husband. “My husband has tattoos of Christianity. He's a target there after he goes there."
Sumar Khalasawi, MaComb County
"It's a life or death situation for us," says Assyrian-Christian activist Nahren Anweya.
Nahren Anweya, MaComb County
"I totally understand the importance of preserving history. These are public statues paid for by citizens that were erected years ago. And they're just being toppled over by protesters because they're upset with the history. At the same time, that's a very soft argument when you consider that this man led an army whose whole purpose was to defend a system that enslaved people."
George Martin, MaComb County
"I [am] a U.S. citizen, but I didn't come here as a U.S. citizen. I wasn't a resident. I was illegal. Why? Because my parents brought me here when I was 10 years old. My dad was already a resident. If I hear what Trump is saying … I do feel affected sometimes and offended."
Laura Torres, Trempealeau County
Todd Mensink: "Quite honestly, what people will be surprised about, and we're about as polar opposite as you can get, [is] we agree on a lot of stuff." ; Chris Chilson: "We come at it from two completely [different perspectives] but we can find common ground."
Todd Mensink and Chris Chilson, Howard County
"For you to tell me, or assume, that every person of a certain gender needs to vote for that gender, if that's not sexism, I don't know what is."
Sandy Chilson, Howard County, Iowa
“If you’re asking me do I have 100 percent trust in Donald Trump, at this point in time, my answer is 'no.' Has Donald earned the people’s respect yet? I don’t think so. He hasn’t earned mine. But with that being said, he is the president and I am willing to give him a chance.”
Mark Locklear, Robeson County, N.C.Find out about all the latest events which are taking place as we travel the country and visit counties that will be vital to Trump’s presidency.
View All Events Request an Event Today
