Local voters weigh options for president

Jan. 13—PRINCETON — Opinions about the former president, the current president, which of them should get a second term and what are the most important issues facing the United States vary widely as voters contemplate what they will do when the General Election arrives this coming November.

People shopping and relaxing along Mercer Street in Princeton were asked to share their thoughts about former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and the issues Americans think about as the presidential election slowly approaches.

Lacey Vilandry, 29, of Princeton, said she is an independent.

"Oh Lordy. I definitely don't have a high opinion of Trump," she said. "He would like to see people like me not existing. I am surprised he is legally allowed to (run) with him having two impeachments and being charged with many crimes that are not small crimes."

Vilandry was also asked about President Biden's performance so far.

"I mean, I think he's doing his best," she said. "I don't think he really understands the voice of what the majority of people need either."

Vilandry was then asked for her thoughts about Biden winning a second term?

"It's not as bad as Trump," she said.

The economy is an important issue, but another issue is the need to get more young people involved in the nation's political process, Vilandry stated.

"This is where we're being led by a lot of people who won't be around to make the decisions in 10 or 15 years, so we need to inspire more young people to step up and do the thing," she said.

Keith Sullivan, 69, of Bluefield said he is an independent voter.

"It was an abomination," he said about Trump's time in office. He was not enthusiastic about Trump winning a second term.

"One of two things will happen. It will either compromise our democracy or it will destroy the Republican Party," Sullivan said. "Maybe both. One or the other. Probably both."

Sullivan said that President Biden's performance thus far has been "fair to good."

"I think the economic issues are being misrepresented now," Sullivan stated. "The past year was not a bad economic year. He didn't solve all of our problems, but he's an ethical guy. A little bit too old, but if it's between him and Trump, it's not a hard decision. It will be Biden."

"Keeping Donald Trump out of office," Sullivan replied when asked about current issues. "That's probably my biggest issue, but there's all kinds of ramifications there. I mean, there's so many reasons why I don't think the man should be president again. I'd like to see the student loan relief for young people; it doesn't affect me directly. I'd just like to see continued support for Ukraine. I think we need a more moderate view in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and disagreements and whatever. I think the only possible way to resolve it is a two-state solution; so whoever is president, I'd like to see him work in that direction."

"The environmental issues, fossil fuels, I'd like to see a continued, fairly fast transition," he said. "There's another issue that's totally ignored, and that's the economic impact of the way we feed ourselves basically, particularly the meat industry and it affecting the economy. It's not talked about enough and it's not really represented as extensive as it actually is."

Joshua Cordle, 30, of Princeton, said he is registered as a Democrat. Trump used his strengths when he ran for president the first time, he said.

"I think that his business sense was pretty smart to take advantage of," Cordle said. "The desire the American people have for some kind of change — positive change, of course — but he took advantage of that and saw that as long as he's loud and promotes this message of change, tells the people what they want, it would be very easy for him to excite the base especially with conservatives and Republicans right now. We've had a very progressive culture over the last 20 years or so, of course, the counterculture is going to be conservative. I think he saw a prime opportunity to gather a large base and then, however, he did not deliver in any way possible. I am of the opinion that he is a huge threat to the American democracy."

Cordle said that he thought Biden has done well during his term in office.

"I think that he's kind of a boring guy and after what we've just been through, it's reminding people that more or less what the president should be is pretty boring, not a celebrity," Cordle said. "Right? I think the fact that he's boring and people have to make fun of him for ridiculous things kind of shows that he's probably at work. He is old but, I mean, there's a reason we respect our elders. They have experience. I like that he has over 40 years of foreign policy experience. Rebuilding our reputation abroad is very important. I think as long as he puts the right people in the right jobs with his cabinet, which I think he has done, then I think he has done a good job."

Cordle spoke about the cultural issues in the nation.

"It's a combination of things. I think it's in the social space. I think it's in our culture," he said. "It would have to do with the decline of our social skills, the public spaces that we have. We're online too much. A little bit of that, but then I would also say a little bit of civic responsibility. How people could, if they wanted to, boycott certain companies for example back in the mid-century period. They had a little bit more freedom within our capitalistic system to boycott. In a way, it would sort of be a secondhand kind of control to companies and tell them what the American people want, and I think as a people we've kind of lost our responsibility to the civic space. I think about civic responsibility or civic participation and rebuilding our social skills, and social media. That would be my opinion."

Melinda Hardway, 30, of Princeton said she is registered as a Republican.

"I think it went extremely great," Hardway said about Trump's presidency. "He helped especially with the coal mines. My husband drives a truck to the coal mines, so personally he was a better president. I would vote for him if it was me.

"I think it would be great," she said about a second term for Trump. "Our prices have went up outrageous on everything, so I think it would be good for him to come back in office."

Hardway did not think Biden's time in office has been good for the country.

"I don't think it's went very well," she said. "But that's just personally me. Like I said, my husband drives a truck for the coal mines, a lot of our prices have went completely outrageous and our wages haven't went up; so it's all about it's going bad. Like it's going downhill, it seems like."

The big issue for Hardway was the economy.

"Economy is a lot of it. Basically, how we live," she stated. "Like I said, our wages aren't going up. It's going to be hard for us to live. In my opinion, that's not a good idea. I would vote for Trump before I would Biden. I will tell you that."

Brian Horsley, 49, of Pettry, said he is registered as a Republican.

"I'm a Republican, but I'm willing to vote for any candidate who has some kind of morals and decency and godliness about them," he said. "Just try to make a wise and informed decision and not be swayed by the media, but actually do a little bit of studying and try to make an informed decision right now."

Horsley was asked what he thought of Trump's time as president.

"As far as the job, I think Trump did a good job. We were in pretty good shape, but he's also kind of conceited a little bit and full of himself and his mouth usually stirred up a lot more trouble than what it was worth. I think a leader has got to show some kind of tact and responsibility towards everybody, not divide people even though the media was kind of involved in some of that, too. But you've got to show some kind of decency and have a good attitude.

"I wouldn't personally have a problem with him being the president again, but based upon what happened the last four years — not his job — just the fact that he could stir up things. The media was always, and they're still, going after him, I think it could cause more division within our country than what we already have. Not that he can't do the job, but I think it's just going to lead to more division and he'll stir up the pot; so I would prefer for someone else to kind of step up."

Horsley was asked about Biden's time in office thus far.

"I haven't had nothing personal against Biden, but Biden has been in politics for nearly 50 years, as long as I've been alive, and you can look at his record," he said. "He's not really accomplished anything and we're in pretty bad shape right now with the economy and all the other things that are going on right now and the things with the border and stuff like that, he's not done a good job. And we definitely don't need him, either. I don't care whether it's Democrat, Republican or independent, we need somebody who can step up and do the job and unite us as a country and fix the mess that w'ere in right now."

The economy is a big issue facing the nation along with the border, Horsley said.

"People can't afford groceries, rent's going up, everything's going through the roof, inflation and stuff. It's making it hard to survive," he said. "And the border, we've got to have some kind of policy across the border that works. I mean, we are a nation of immigrants, but we've got to have some kind of immigration policy that actually works for the immigrants and works for our country as well. We can't have just anybody crossing the border. You don't know what's coming across that border if we don't have any kind of border control."

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com