Pulse of the Voters: Positions harden, partisan divide widens

Jan. 13—The partisan divide in the Valley between supporters of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, presumptive candidates in the 2024 presidential election, has only widened and hardened during the four years since they ran against each other.

Both sides of the political aisle view the upcoming election as critical to the country's future, but approach it from different perspectives. "Saving our Democracy" is a phrase most often heard from Democratic progressives; while local Republican conservatives are focused on returning the former president to office and a return to his economic and border security America First agenda.

In recent weeks, The Daily Item discussed the 2024 election with Valley voters about the issues that motivate them to support their candidate of choice.

Democrats look at Biden's presidency and see a record of legislative accomplishments that adhere to a progressive agenda; Trump supporters point to a strong economy during his presidency, despite the pandemic, and someone who recognized the chaos at the Southern border.

The candidatesIs Trump the perfect Republican candidate? "Certainly not," suggested Larry Lahiff, 72, of Lewisburg, an unaffiliated voter and Marine veteran. "Trump is a hard-nosed businessman and a street-smart guy. The way he takes care of business is, in my opinion, more suited for the business community. I wish somebody would get his message over a little bit better.

"Trump has a record," said Lahiff, who is retired, "He didn't lower the deficit any and that is not exactly a plus. By the same token, we were pretty much energy-independent, which was a good thing — getting rid of heavy-duty regulations that had been stifling the business community. Inflation-wise, we were in a better situation then than we are now."

People were coming across the border during Trump's presidency, Lahiff continued, "but now it has reached the level of absolute absurdity. Millions of people are unvetted and walking in and being shipped around the country. That is a recipe for chaos. Was it in better shape under Trump? Sure."

Katie Kole, 35, of Danville, said "I understand someone not wanting to be eager for the job but I am disappointed that there is not somebody younger or more moderate in either direction willing to run for the election. Other alternative candidates don't seem to be willing to throw their hat in the ring, but I believe a moderate candidate on both ends of the aisle would do well nationally. I don't believe Trump and Biden are the best frontrunner candidates."

But if given the likely choice, Kole, a registered Democrat, said she would vote for Biden.

Several Valley Republicans vehemently disagree and strongly support the former president's candidacy.

Gary Griffiths, 72, of Lewisburg said Trump did a great job.

"The thing about him that gets him in trouble is his rhetoric," Griffiths, a school bus driver, said. "I feel like sometimes if he could just put some duct tape over his mouth. I don't like the name-calling. But Trump has a lot of strengths, especially overseas. The United States was strong under Trump."

Trump is the right candidate for Republicans, said Clair Moyer, 77, of Lewisburg.

"If we don't elect Trump in 2024, we are in big trouble," he said. "Trump has already proven he can do it. I'm 100 percent behind Trump."

Moyer also likes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

"DeSantis reminds me a bit of Trump when he first hit the scene," he said. "I think he is a good Republican. But he hasn't proven himself."

Joe DeCristopher, a Democrat from Lewisburg, reflected on Trump's presidency and has come to a wholly different conclusion.

"Early in the first term, Trump was railing on and on about how Obamacare was the worst thing since stale bread and he was going to replace it. He never did," DeCristopher said. "He couldn't get the votes to get rid of it because it was a popular legislation.

"If anything my view of him, based on post-2016 election has left me with even stronger feelings against him than I did then. In my lifetime we have had scandals, we've had an actor as president. We've had politicians take a lot of scurrilous positions about things that were duplicitous in many ways. It's not like politics have been any great playground for stellar performers. But Trump takes the cake. He's skillful at destroying things. He's willing to suspend the Constitution. If Trump is on the ballot, the issue is democracy."

Michelle O'Mealy, 55, of Lewisburg, also said Trump is not her choice for president.

"It's mind-boggling how this man is still even a contender. It's frightening how his small but loud core is still controlling the narrative," she said. "I believe him to be a bully, and narcissist, and ill fit to lead the country based on so many facts about democratic oppression and illegal doings by and on his behalf to secure his presidential position. My estimation of him has only been diminished. He is much worse now than I thought he was."

Kole said the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, worsened her view of Trump. "And the disassociation between reality and fact," she said. "So now I have an even worse taste in my mouth about his presidency."

Does Biden merit reelection?

The local voters have decidedly mixed reviews on whether President Biden deserves a second term. Some point toward his age — Biden will turn 82 just after the election; Trump will turn 78 this summer — while others argue the issues with his son, Hunter, are a real problem.

"We need to get rid of Biden as president. I want him impeached," Moyer, a retired school bus driver, said. "Hunter Biden and the whole family are corrupt. I want them sitting in prison. For me, there is no reason to support this guy."

Kole said "I hoped that there would be another strong Democratic candidate, but compared to Trump, Biden does merit reelection."

O'Mealy said she doesn't fully support Biden.

"I believe his age is a hindrance. Sadly, Kamala Harris has been a less than memorable vice president," she said. "He has done some noteworthy, historical legislative endeavors; the Inflation Reduction Act, a bipartisan Safer Gun Act with enhanced background checks, and a reduction of gun trafficking. He has been a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ and a voice for the marginalized. He appointed Kentanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, he is ensuring reproductive rights and is an advocate for climate change for the better."

Biden merits reelection if the choice is him versus any other Republican in the field, DeCristopher said.

"Trump benefited from the economic gains made during the Obama presidency. I think the economy was on the rebound and Trump got the benefit of that," he said. "Trump mishandled the COVID epidemic badly. Trump missed an opportunity to unify the country around the issue of COVID-19 because this country has a history of banding together in hard times. But Trump couldn't do that because he doesn't want unity. He thrives in chaos. Policy-wise, we are just beginning to see the benefits of the things the Biden administration has done.

Kole concedes that the Hunter Biden investigation "is an issue, and it is certainly controversial, but I don't think it reflects on Joe Biden himself. As for the impeachment inquiry, I haven't seen any documents released by Republicans."

If Hunter Biden broke laws he should be held accountable under the same standard as other people who have violated similar laws, DeCristopher said.

"Hunter Biden doesn't owe any taxes as far as I know. He has not been charged and there is no basis to charge him with any criminal activity beyond the gun possession charge and the paying his taxes late and not reporting income that put him in violation of the law," he said. "If there is other stuff, he should be prosecuted and that is the position the Biden administration has taken. I don't mean to whitewash it.

"But I don't see villains in the woodwork giving Hunter Biden a sweetheart deal, or bending over backward to avoid prosecuting. If the investigation proves otherwise, I'd be open to that. But I think convening an impeachment inquiry is bogus. It's performative and just a distraction."

War, peace, and the borderThe border is out of control, Moyer said.

"If you don't have any borders, you don't have a country. You just have a mass of land. We're letting all these people come in here," he said. "People have to start paying attention to what is going on in our country. If you read the Constitution, the president's responsibility is to protect this nation. Protect the people and Biden is not doing that. I'm tired of us being pushed around and I'm not going to take it anymore.'

Griffiths agreed with Moyer, saying so many people are coming in that "it's like an open season on the border."

"We don't know what it is going to do to our country," Griffiths said. "Luckily we are in a small community, but all those bigger cities like New York and Texas are being overrun."

The world is on fire now, Lahiff added, pointing toward Ukraine and the Middle East.

"We have wars all over the place. We made a mess getting out of Afghanistan. We have all kinds of people pushing the envelope and testing the waters now," Lahiff said. "That did not go on so much with Trump. I can't say Trump was perfect. But I felt a little bit better about our position on the world scene. I don't know if it was Trump's style, but world leaders took him a bit more seriously than I think they take our leadership now.

"So, given all that, if Trump ends up being the candidate I will probably vote for him because I don't see anyone coming out of the Democratic party right now that says 'We've made some errors and we are going to change courses.'"

Other issues

Kole's two biggest issues are women's rights and reproductive rights.

Overturning Roe v. Wade was an attack on women's rights, she said.

"I lived in Texas when Roe v. Wade was overturned. As a health care worker and a woman of reproductive age, I immediately became terrified of my health," she said. "It was a scary time to live down there, as a person who was trying to start a family with my husband and did not know if I could be treated with the appropriate medical care.

"Unfortunately, there is a huge reality for women in immediate danger because of these laws. They are losing their life or their reproductive health."

Measures trying to mitigate global warming are also high on Kole's list of important issues.

The border is the most important issue for Griffiths.

"The economy is also important," he said. "Inflation is down to 3 percent now after being around 9 percent. But food prices are high and interest rates. My grandson would love to buy a house but the interest rates are out of sight right now."

Griffiths doesn't like the arguing between parties and bipartisanship seems to be a distant memory.

"I think both sides have forgotten how to compromise," he said. "You have the far left and the far right. Nothing gets done. It hurts the whole country."

The border crisis and the economy are the two biggest issues among the people Moyer knows. "We are sick and tired of inflation, the high cost of food, and paying exorbitant amounts for fuel," he said.

Important issues for O'Mealy in this upcoming election are the economy, taxes, education, civil rights, and reproductive rights.

"I'm still hoping for a strong Democratic contender but will continue to educate myself on candidates that align with my convictions," she said.