He described his recent political rally in New York City as a “love fest.”
But for many Donald Trump voters, the feeling is far from mutual.
Several Massachusetts residents told the story Boston sphere that they will support the Republican candidate, despite some serious reservations.
For Greg Benefit, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, his biggest concerns are some of the “crazy” things coming out of the presidential hopeful’s mouth lately.
“The ‘enemy within’ type.” That’s crazy,” said Benefit, 69. “What are we talking about here? It seems like he’s getting paranoid.’
Billie Cleghorn, 48, is among a group of Trump voters who support the Republican candidate despite doubts about his character
“But when you get to the heart of the matter, he’s not afraid to say what he says. That’s the only reason I’m voting for him,” the retired nurse added.
Jim Pero, a Republican business analyst from Salisbury, was even more scathing in his assessment of Trump’s character.
“He’s brash, he’s arrogant, he’s narcissistic, he’s a poor communicator,” the 67-year-old said.
His views echo those of Sutton banker Brian Jankins.
‘There is too much instability in his government, I think it is because of his ego. He surrounds himself with yes people,” Jankins said, adding that it is “not easy” to support presidential hopefuls.
But he and Pero remain steadfast in their commitment to vote for Trump.
Jankins explained that his support is rooted in his belief in Trump’s business acumen, which he said helps him understand how to grow, “what separates us and what keeps us as a superpower.”
Billie Cleghorn, 48, firmly stated that he is “not a Trumper” and voted for Biden in 2020.
A Trump supporter said he took exception to the “crazy” way he spoke about Democrats, calling them the “enemy within.”
The army veteran attributes his decision to being “caught up in the political climate” but has since criticized the number of conflicts that have arisen under the current president.
“We are ready to fight the whole world,” he said, adding that he does not believe Democrats have a handle on the economy.
“My life has become significantly more difficult since Biden came into power,” Cleghorn said.
Others are firmer in their MAGA beliefs, but are afraid to express them for fear of retaliation.
A 61-year-old business owner in the true blue state told the Globe he feared his livelihood would be “cancelled” if people found out about his allegiance.
“People like me are afraid to put it in their front yard for fear of retaliation,” he said, requesting anonymity. “It’s just too dangerous.”
Massachusetts has voted Democrat for the past four decades and is considered a safe seat for Kamala Harris.
The race between Republican Trump and Democrat Harris has divided the American electorate along lines of gender, race and education, according to Reuters/Ipsos polls conducted in October this year.
Banker Brian Jankins said that even though Trump surrounds himself with ‘yes men’, he is the best person to protect US interests
Trump has improved his standing among men, especially among Hispanic men, while support for Harris among women has soared
Trump has improved his standing among men, especially among Hispanic men, while Harris’ support among women has soared, helping her chip away at Republicans’ long-standing lead over white voters.
Among women, Harris led Trump by 12 percentage points this month, 50 percent to 38 percent.
By comparison, Biden led Trump by 5 points among female voters in October 2020. Some poll respondents said they were unsure how they would vote, or whether they might choose a third-party candidate or not vote at all.
The Democrats’ gains among women are fueled by Harris’ position among white women. Harris trailed Trump by two points among white women — 46 percent to 44 percent — a much smaller margin than the 16-point lead Trump had over Biden four years earlier.
Among men, Trump led Harris by 7 points: 48 percent to 41 percent. Before the 2020 election, Trump led Biden by 1 point, 45 percent to 44 percent.
