By ROBERT STEWART
Capital News Service
MOUNT AIRY, Md. – Here in eastern Frederick County, Joan Crook, 72, is enthusiastic about voting for change. For Crook, that means getting Republicans in office.
“I like what Trump did before, and I think he would do the economy good again,” Crook told a reporter this morning.
As for her choice for U.S. Senate, Larry Hogan, she says it’s his experience as governor and his independence that matters to her.
“I think he would do a good job in the Senate,” she said. “He wouldn’t let anybody force him into anything he didn’t want.”
Crook said she was also dissatisfied with the Supreme Court decision that overturned abortion rights in Roe v. Wade, although she did not say where she stood on the abortion-rights referendum on the Maryland ballot.
“I think that abortion should be left to a woman and her doctor,” said Crook. “I don’t think a government should tell a woman what she can and can’t do with her body. They don’t tell men what they can do with their body, so why can they tell women?”
“I just hope everybody gets out and votes today,” she said.
But Bill Duke says he was scared when he left the polling station in Mount Airy, Md., Tuesday morning.
“I never thought I’d live to see the day when I was afraid of an election result,” said Duke, 68. “I don’t want Donald Trump to become our president.”
“Neither of us would,” said his wife, Sharon Duke, 65. “He’s everything that’s anti-American, (against what) I’ve been raised on, whether it’s from my Christian faith or whether it’s from my civics class as a kid in Prince George’s County public schools. It’s just taking us in the totally wrong direction.” Sharon said she thinks Trump lacks civility towards others and has a propensity towards violence that’s antithetical to her beliefs.
The Dukes each said they are anxious and are bracing for a wait before the national results come out, so they don’t want to spend too much time today waiting for results.
“Maybe we’ll just see which way the wind’s blowing a little later in the evening,” said Bill.
Another local resident, Erin Childers, said she isn’t thrilled with Trump, but says he was better than the alternatives.
“Everything being just so inflated and expensive, we’re just hoping for some change to bring the cost down for everybody,” said Childers, 45, of Mount Airy. “Groceries and gas, all of it factors in when you’re trying to raise a family.”
Given the choice of two less-than-ideal candidates, Childers said it’s her belief that Trump will do better for the economy that led her to support Trump.
“I don’t like him as a person,” she said, “but I just don’t like my other option.”
