Michigan voters played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. In both cases, the margin of victory was narrow, with a difference of 0.2 percent in 2016 and 2.8 percent in 2020.
The state’s major cities, such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Grand Rapids, are known to be Democratic strongholds. On the other hand, smaller cities and rural areas tend to lean Republican during national elections.
To gain insight into how this year’s political messaging is resonating with voters in Michigan, The Epoch Times embarked on a journey from coast to coast across the state. Their goal was to gauge public sentiment firsthand.
Jake Anderson, a 28-year-old epidemiologist from Grand Rapids, expressed his observation that both campaigns have resorted to negative advertising about their opponents. He described this approach as divisive rather than unifying.
Javon Shivers from Saginaw admitted that he isn’t particularly interested in politics because he believes it doesn’t directly impact his life. As an entrepreneur focused on clothing business ventures, he feels there is a disconnect between politics and everyday people’s lives.
Germaine Green from Grand Rapids stated that he has no intention of voting for either candidate because he wants them to address issues like illegal immigration more prominently. Green believes that average Americans want tangible benefits like increased wages rather than seeing money allocated towards immigrants’ welfare programs.
Sam Bayle also expressed frustration with political advertisements from both campaigns and desired more transparency regarding government funding allocation and decision-making processes.
Larena Singleton from Detroit complained about being bombarded with campaign mailings almost every day of the week but disliked the negative tone employed by both candidates’ campaigns. She emphasized her desire for politicians to focus on addressing homelessness and improving education systems instead.
Ryan Decker from Grand Haven claimed not receiving any campaign materials nor having any interest in doing so due to what he perceives as excessive talking without meaningful action by politicians. He highlighted concerns about global conflicts leading to war as an issue deserving attention during election discussions.
Jesse Charles and Latral Charles from Romulus mentioned receiving mailings from both campaigns but appreciated Kamala Harris’ detailed plan for supporting middle-class families compared to Donald Trump’s stance on abortion rights which they found inconsistent.
Dirk O’Brien voiced concerns about China’s acquisition of farmland and environmental consequences resulting from mining operations for battery production used in electric vehicles—an issue he believed deserved more attention during political discourse.
Mike Bussert and Jaclyn Bussert acknowledged seeing social media ads but had not received direct contact or recall specific content related to either campaign yet due to their limited interest in politics at present—although they anticipated paying closer attention closer election time approaches
Jeff Gardner raised an issue often overlooked according him—the attempted assassination of President Trump—stating it should receive greater scrutiny by Democratic candidates and news media outlets alike while emphasizing protection for all former presidents against harm or threats should be paramount.