Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Angry and frustrated upstate New York swings behind Trump
BSS/AFP ^ | April 16, 2016 | BSS/AFP

Posted on 04/16/2016 12:12:22 AM PDT by GonzoII

BINGHAMTON, United States, April 16, 2016 (BSS/AFP) - What do a New York lawyer, a business owner who calls himself a left-leaning Republican and a construction worker who elected Barack Obama have in common? They're voting for Donald Trump.

None of them live on the breadline. They share surprisingly varied opinions. Yet they are profoundly frustrated -- with the economy, with career politicians and with perceptions of declining American prestige.

The Republican frontrunner's supporters are often portrayed as undereducated, underearning whites.

But in upstate New York, where Trump calls himself "the most popular person that's ever lived," the breadth of support spotlights his enduring appeal, albeit as the Republican elites plot to bring him down. The most divisive presidential campaign in a generation hits New York on Tuesday.

"I don't think he's the Hitler everyone puts him out to be, I really truly don't and as a New Yorker I grew up with the guy," says Lloyd Knecht, 59, who owns a heating and air conditioning company that employs 30 people.

Knecht works in Binghamton, one of the fastest-shrinking towns in America and a pale imitation of an illustrious past where IBM was founded more than a century ago and where the flight simulator was invented.

The gradual departure of IBM and other manufacturing corporations, taking jobs and technology overseas, has left behind unemployment above the US average and a poverty rate higher than the state average.

Knecht worries about rising insurance and wage bills, though he believes in "some sort of national health plan." He fears the economy is becoming sluggish. He supported Obama's decriminalization of petty drug crimes.

Trump's populist message promising to bring back jobs and restore national pride with his say-it-how-it-is manner strike a deep chord...


(Excerpt) Read more at bssnews.net ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2016election; 51percent; 52percent; 53percent; 54percent; 55percent; 56percent; 57percent; 58percent; 59percent; election2016; lloydknecht; newyork; nyprimary; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last
To: jsanders2001

NYC/Binghamton/Albany/Syracuse/Ithaca and the close in NYC burbs will vote Hillary at least in the primaries. Most likely in the general too and those areas carry the state.


21 posted on 04/16/2016 3:40:51 AM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MacMattico

“...upstate is suffering...”

At least consider voting for Trump in the primary. He is pro fracking and manufacturing. Cruz is clueless as to how to help upstate New York State bring back its jobs.

My son in law and daughter from Otsego county will vote Trump for this reason, meaning I have ‘skin in the game” to venture this suggestion. It is painful to see the abject poverty that abounds in rural Otsego county and the welfare state that has ruined upstate towns and turned them into Section 8 housing warehouses.

The conditions are dirt poor appalachia in some areas. (Not my daughter and son personally; she is a nurse and they have a small organic milk diary farm so they get by but their friends and relatives are struggling and desperate for JOBS) People WANT to work and I truly believe that Trump is the one to actually reinstate favorable trade and manufacturing regulations to Make America Great Again!


22 posted on 04/16/2016 3:45:21 AM PDT by stonehouse01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

Exactly - see my post #22. Forget the democrats; they have ruined upstate and will continue if allowed. Cruz will have no clue either.


23 posted on 04/16/2016 3:47:10 AM PDT by stonehouse01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Vaquero

NYC/Binghamton/Albany.Syracuse/Ithaca and the close in NYC burbs will vote Hillary ...”

Not necessarily this time around. Sanders drew 3,000 to his event in Albany last week and Trump drew 17,000 plus. Ithaca’s hippie valley will want Sanders and will be mad if he gets shut out.

As the article says, upstate and certain of the outer NYC boroughs have lived out how the democrats have ruined the state and are actually waking up to vote differently this time around. Rochester held a massive Trump rally.

Upstate is struggling so badly that people are ready to try to do something about it.

There WILL be MANY crossover votes for Trump from independents and Dems in upstate and the outer boroughs this time around. Hillary is NOT liked.

The conventional wisdom that democrats will carry New York State will not hold true in this election cycle.


24 posted on 04/16/2016 3:59:36 AM PDT by stonehouse01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: GonzoII

Inevitable headline: “Swingers for Trump!”


25 posted on 04/16/2016 4:03:29 AM PDT by ameribbean expat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stonehouse01
Upstate is struggling so badly that people are ready to try to do something about it.

And cuHomo won't let the southern tier produce natural gas. Those folks want to secede to PA

26 posted on 04/16/2016 4:15:00 AM PDT by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: GonzoII
To a very large degree, this article IMO hits the nail squarely on the head. The part that really makes me steam sometimes is the perception of Trump supporters that the liberal lamestream media lays out:

The Republican frontrunner's supporters are often portrayed as undereducated, underearning whites.

I have a double bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Business Administration. I am far from what would be considered "underearning" and according to the IRS Tax tables and Kiplingers, I'm in the top 7% of all wage earners.

In the circle of people I know, the overwhelming majority are either Trump or Cruz, so there's a heavy, distinct anti GOP-E sentiment in my circle of influence. That won't bode well for the GOP if they steal the nomination away from both the front runners, especially Trump.

27 posted on 04/16/2016 4:28:07 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MacMattico

Trump puts NY State in play Cruz doesn’t, at this point in the election cycle a vote for Cruz is a vote for Hillary.


28 posted on 04/16/2016 4:33:24 AM PDT by jpsb (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. Otto von Bismark)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Leaning Right

LOL, good post!


29 posted on 04/16/2016 4:34:21 AM PDT by jpsb (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. Otto von Bismark)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Leaning Right

T T T T ! ! ! ©


30 posted on 04/16/2016 4:52:05 AM PDT by onyx (You're here posting, so sign-up to DONATE MONTHLY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

I agree with you 100%.

I have a similar degree, and worked for 20 years at a major global information company. I am STRONGLY for Trump.

Not so excited about Cruz. In my opinion he is simply more of the same, selling us out to the very same people, who everyone else has been selling us out for the entire last generation.

Trump gets it. Trump is the only one who gets it. That is why EVERYONE is against him.

Except the voters. They are very much for Trump.


31 posted on 04/16/2016 4:55:30 AM PDT by cba123 (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: newnhdad

“So it don’t matter how they vote, Trump, Cruz or even Jesus Christ won’t win a general election in NY..”

I think it’s too early to say that. You never know.

If Hillary wins, there are going to be a LOT of disaffected young voters who feel (and rightfully so) that the nomination has been taken away from their guy, Bernie. They’ll either stay home or vote for the other “outsider,” Trump (and I only put outsider in quotes because I don’t quite comprehend how a sitting Senator can be considered an outsider). Also, if Trump gets up and SMASHES Hillary in the debates (”Mrs. Clinton... I don’t understand why you’re even on this stage and not in prison...”) you never know what will happen to her popularity.


32 posted on 04/16/2016 4:56:01 AM PDT by Pravious
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

I spent a week in Buffalo. I can see why people leave. The people are nice, but it astonished me how often people thought I hated black people, flew the Confederate flag, etc. They were surprised I was visiting museums and art galleries and was conversant with culture. It got tiresome.

Very, very liberal and with a very narrow view of the world.


33 posted on 04/16/2016 4:56:47 AM PDT by Roses0508
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Byron_the_Aussie; Whenifhow; hoosiermama; RitaOK; HarleyLady27

Thanks Byron!

Ping to all y’all!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3421508/posts?page=10#10


34 posted on 04/16/2016 4:56:59 AM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: garandgal

I have this strange vision that once democrats and independents cross over to vote, if we get the right man who actually unites people to make changes, they just might stick around the party


35 posted on 04/16/2016 5:07:15 AM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Vaquero

And now that the price has tumbled no new exploration is being done, the Uber-smarmy Prince Andrew did his political duty...


36 posted on 04/16/2016 5:08:59 AM PDT by Shady (We are at war again......this time for our lives...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Pravious

Trump is the ONLY guy who will treat hillary as an equal when the going gets rough, and has shown he will take the flak from the Wymyn for being “ mean” to the hideous hag by calling out her lies and incompetence and corruption


37 posted on 04/16/2016 5:12:47 AM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: GonzoII
I grew up in Central NY state. At that time there were plenty of jobs if you wanted one. Now when I go back to visit I see little of the manufacturing jobs left. Politicians have done nothing good. We need someone who's a business man to turn things around.
38 posted on 04/16/2016 5:12:52 AM PDT by McGruff (Rush Limbaugh: Jeb Bush could mount a convention comeback)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Roses0508
I spent a week in Buffalo. I can see why people leave.

My wife's side of the family (uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins) live in the Buffalo area.

OMG those people are retarded. Anyone who's not a liberal pro-abortion/homosexuality is OK Catholic is a Nazi to them.

Here's the rub: my wife's family escaped Hitler twice during WW2. First leaving Germany, then being chased out of Hungary after half the men were conscripted into the German army.

Yikes, I'd think they'd know better.

39 posted on 04/16/2016 5:22:11 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: McGruff

Trump cannot turn this country around by himself

All he can do is try and change the tax and regulatory area business faces

I left NYS in 1980

It is all in who and what you governor and legislators do

Democrats just do not care what happens

But the unions and politicians drove business out of NYS

Very simple look at the verious states and see which ones work best


40 posted on 04/16/2016 5:32:26 AM PDT by Hojczyk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson