Residents Weigh in on Presidential Candidates

With the presidential election less than a year away, and primaries for both parties even closer, the Campus sought on Sunday to take stock of local residents’ opinions. The following interviews are an anecdotal glimpse into an electorate that is decidedly Democratic, but still grapples with the feasibility of their Senator, Bernie Sanders, as a viable candidate.

Of the two dozen respondents, twelve voiced their support for Sanders, six prefer Hillary Clinton and three had yet to make up their mind between Sanders and Clinton. Only three respondents were planning to vote for a Republican candidate, two of whom preferred Chris Christie.

The concern over Sanders’ viability has been confirmed elsewhere: In September, Castleton Polling Institute found that although 48 percent of Vermonters hoped to see Sanders elected president, only 27 percent think he will win. In contrast, 46 percent of respondents think Clinton will win.

Barbara Merz epitomized this precarious position. “Even though we might be told that it’s a waste to vote for [Sanders], I’m going to. It’s just a primary,” she added, “so I’ll vote for whose positions I agree with and in the presidential, I’ll vote for whoever the Democratic winner is.”

Elizabeth Kervick expressed a similar sentiment: “I think probably, as far as issues go, I’m more aligned with Bernie. Also, my goal is to see a Democrat as president.”

Another resident’s somewhat contradictory opinion was particularly humorous: “You could put me down for Sanders,” he said. “But I just don’t think he’d make a very good president.”

Not all residents were as skeptical. Mary-Ann Deverell said she was voting for Bernie Sanders. “I think his grassroots campaign has really spread. ... I think he’s true to who he is, and has always had the same expectations for our country.”

Pierre Vachon felt similarly. “I think it’s time for a change and I think Bernie Sanders is the right guy for it,” he said. “I think his policies are more progressive and have a better chance for helping America than a lot of the other candidates, currently.”

Most residents agreed with this assesment. Courtney Krahn, for example, lauded Sanders’ progressive stance on universal health care and higher education, but was unsure of his position on guns.

“Maybe other candidates are stronger on gun control,” she acknowledged. “But maybe he has a more realistic view of it? I don’t know.”

“Gun control I feel is really on the forefront of my mind,” replied another resident, when asked about the issue that concerns her most.

Arguably, however, Sanders’ most attractive feature is his consistent and unrelenting focus on political corruption and wealth inequality.

“I think Bernie’s strongest issue is the idea that one percent of our country has such a high percentage of our wealth,” said the same resident concerned with gun violence, “and the idea that there is really no middle class. We’re struggling; or not.”

Surprisingly, this strategy has even allowed Sanders, running to the left of Hillary Clinton, to draw support from across the aisle.

“I’m naturally a Republican,” said Jamie Sheldon, “but I’m looking at Bernie Sanders as the best candidate right now. I really like his platform about growing the middle class, because I am middle class. You’re either on state aid or you’re extremely wealthy - the middle class is a lost party. So that’s where he’s kind of hit home with me.”

“I’ve been a Republican my whole life,” said another local resident, “but I’ll tell you, Bernie Sanders, he is what he is.”

Pierre Vachon noted that Sanders’s success may not hinge upon his policies as a candidate, but on the amount of media coverage he receives.

“Part of the issue is he gets kind of pushed aside, but he has a strong grassroots campaign so I think the popular vote could go to him pretty easily,” he said. “If he can get through the primary and actually be the Democratic candidate, I think he has a very strong chance.”

Those who expressed their support for Hillary Clinton tended to emphasize her experience in government and her foreign policy credentials.

“I think [Clinton] has got the most experience and I like her international views on the world,” said one woman. “[Bernie’s] a good guy – educated – but in the world arena, I think he’s lacking in experience, where Hillary has had experience. I like her views on things. Especially as a woman.”
Nonetheless, she noted, “Bernie would be my second choice – I’d love to see them as President-Vice President in a perfect world.”

“The two biggest issues for me as a voter are the economy and foreign policy,” said another Clinton supporter, “and I think that’s where Hillary comes out as a winner.” This voter was optimistic about Clinton’s electoral chances, but noted that “the two most viable candidates to threaten her in terms of actually winning an election are Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio.”

Yet the few surveyed Republicans expressed a preference not for Bush or Rubio, but for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. One appreciated his emphasis on “law and order,” while another, Jim Hunter, cited Christie’s ability to govern a mostly-Democratic state.

“[It] tells me that he can manage to please both sides of the aisle,” Hunter said. “As a President, you need to be able to make the majority of the people somewhat happy.”

While initially cautioning that Donald Trump is “a little too crazy,” Hunter conceded that he admires Trump’s focus on illegal immigration. Many recent immigrants, Hunter said, “have no idea what America’s based on – they just see free stuff.”

Prior waves of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, he asserted, were subjected to more tests, which Hunter feels should be reinstated. “The country was built on immigrants, so I have no problem with that,” he said. “It’s control that I care about.”

However, the majority of residents were harshly critical of Trump’s policies, with many agreeing that a Trump victory would be the worst possible outcome of the 2016 elections.

“A Trump presidency would be the very worst case scenario,” said Barbara Merz, “but I 100 percent don’t believe that that will happen.” Another resident concurred: “I don’t think the presidency should be a reality TV show.”

Indeed, despite some disagreement about the Democratic primary, most residents seemed unified in their animosity towards the entire Republican field.

“[Republicans] just propagate more violence and more hate,” said one resident. “So I’m looking for the opposite of that—the propagation of well-being.”

Ultimately, both statewide polling and anecdotal evidence point to Sanders winning his home state of Vermont in the Democratic primary. The question remains, however, whether sentiment regarding Sanders’ viability as a candidate, expressed even in Vermont, will affect his performance nationally.