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1 of 27
Jay
Maynard
56 years old •
Fairmont, Minn.
I
am not one of Donald Trump's fanboys. The choice was not cut and dry. What finally
decided the question for me was Hillary Clinton’s hostility to the rule of
law as exemplified by her behavior and her promise to select Supreme Court
justices willing to overturn District of Columbia v. Heller and Citizens
United. Taken together, those two things meant her election represented an
existential threat to the Constitution, its design for our government, and
the First and Second Amendment. I concluded our country would not survive a
Clinton presidency. That meant she had to be stopped cold. The only way I had
to push in that direction was to vote for Trump, so I did.
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2 of 27
Andreas
Ninios
40 years old •
Washington, D.C.
What
matters most to me is inclusion. Though we live in a "global
village" type of world, the benefits (better education, better
information and a better variety of choices in general) are not felt by all.
That is because, though many politicians say progress and globalization
promise better things, they deliver fewer and fewer of those promises to all.
That was reflected in this election the most. People are tired and want
change for everyone. I am not sure a Trump presidency delivers the right type
of change, but I am hoping that the politicians who have failed time and time
again to deliver on the aforementioned promises got the message.
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3 of 27
Max
Mordell
30 years old •
Spring Valley, N.Y.
I
am a Cruz/Rubio Republican, and I voted for Donald Trump because, first, he
will upset the status quo in government (on both sides of the aisle) — a
status quo under which the government keeps getting larger while the rest of
America keeps gets smaller. Second, Trump will expose the cynicism in the
media — an industry that thrives off of the appeal to the worst of human
impulses. Trump may not pursue constitutional conservatism, but he has an
excellent chance to enact policies and to create an environment in which this
country's economy can get going again. I am also convinced Trump is well
suited to restore American leadership — with all of its values
— around the world. The American spirit (the term may need to be defined
for some millennials, and the best resource is simply a standard history
text), which has driven the successes of our past, is sorely lacking at home
and around the world. Trump understands this, and I believe he is genuinely
interested in making America great again.
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4 of 27
Yasar
Bresnahan
60 years old •
Canton, Ga.
I
am a Muslim woman and a legal immigrant from Turkey. I have my American
citizenship. I voted for Donald Trump. I can say it proudly.
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5 of 27
Kirsten
Johnson
31 years old •
Minneapolis, M.N.
I
was literally undecided until I went into the voting booth. I was a strong
advocate for Gary Johnson for most of the race, but I changed my mind after I
saw him at a lackluster rally in town. Then Trump came through, and the
energy and passion was astounding. He overflowed an airport hangar with 24
hours’ notice on a Sunday during a Vikings home game. Holy crap. So, in the
end, I voted for the economy, against Obamacare and against a corrupt
government, just as I was planning to for Johnson. But I also voted for the
people, because Trump was the clear choice of the silent majority I
eventually became a part of.
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6 of 27
Nick
Flores
39 years old •
Sacramento, Calif.
I
voted for Donald Trump because he will deport illegal immigrants more than
Clinton. As a legal immigrant who had to wait 13 years for an immigration
visa approval and pass two health screens and an English language proficiency
exam prior to entering the United States, I consider it an insult to to cater
to criminals who disobeyed immigration laws and cut in front of all
law-abiding immigration applicants waiting patiently to be approved. I have
never received any government assistance, nor is it my goal to do so. My
dignity disallows such a thought. To witness some illegal immigrants gaming
the welfare system boils my blood.
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7 of 27
Nicole
Citro
47 years old •
Burlington, Vt.
Donald
Trump came to Burlington, Vt. — Bernie Sanders’s home town — in December. I
stood in line with a few thousand people and was confronted by a few hundred
people protesting Trump’s appearance and those supporting him. I was still on
the fence, but after that rally I knew without a doubt Trump was going to be
our next president. He had tapped into what the everyday Joe — and Jane —
were feeling but had become PC-shamed from expressing. As Trump cleared each
hurdle during the campaign, and I saw how the media, the establishment and
celebrities tried to derail him, my hope began to grow that I would be able
to witness their collective heads explode when he was successful. Tuesday
night was beyond satisfying to watch unfold. I hope all the aforementioned
have learned their lesson. I look forward to watching Trump make good on his plans
to make America affordable, make America safe and make America work. I always
thought it was great.
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8 of 27
Erin
Keefe
22 years old •
Manchester, N.H.
I
am white, I am a woman, I am pro-choice, I am educated, and I voted for
Donald Trump. The government needs to be run like a corporation, simple as
that. Of course humanitarian issues are of concern to me, as they are to
every American. His degrading language toward women bothers me, and his views
on global warming are a problem for me. I do not 100 percent love Trump, but
I am convinced he can lead this nation. I was part of the silent majority. My
friends would bash those who leaned toward Trump and comment on how insane,
uneducated and racist his supporters were. I was afraid to speak my mind
because of the possibility it might hurt my reputation socially and
professionally. I respect everyone’s opinion and vote, and it’s wrong to be
ridiculed for supporting someone you have a right to support. I scrolled
through my Facebook page on Election Day personally hurt. Friends accused
Trump supporters of not loving them because they are gay, a woman, a person
of color or an immigrant. My stomach dropped knowing what might happen if
someone found out that I supported him and that they thought I did not love
them for that. I voted for Donald Trump because he can create change for our
country, economy and world.
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9 of 27
Deniz
Dolun
22 years old •
Boca Raton, Fla.
My
entire family — five Muslim immigrants from Turkey — voted for Donald Trump
in Florida because of the Democratic Party’s pandering to Islamism. As people
who have actually experienced Islamism in its purest form, back in Turkey, we
supported the candidate who promised to help us fight that issue, regardless
of any of his other policies. For us, the people of the Middle East, this
election was just too important to hand over to someone such as Hillary
Clinton.
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10 of 27
Diane
Maus
61 years old •
Suffern, N.Y.
On
Tuesday, I voted Republican for only the second time in my life. The media
did the United States a huge disservice in covering this campaign. As I
watched, I got the impression that voting was a mere formality. The
commentary was all about how Hillary Clinton was set to get down to business
once the pesky election was over. It was obvious watching the election
returns on several networks that not one of them prepared for the possibility
of Donald Trump triumphing. Why was that? My vote was my only way to say: I
am here and I count. I wish President-elect Trump all the best and have hope
that Washington will, in the next four years, actually work for all
Americans.
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11 of 27
Howard
Gaskill
77 years old •
Georgetown, Del.
I
remember the Clintons from back when they tap danced around the Gennifer
Flowers story. Then came Whitewater and then Hillary Clinton’s billing
records were nowhere to be found, and then there was Monica Lewinsky and Bill
Clinton looked right at me through the TV screen and said “I did not have . .
.” The lies never stopped. Then came the Clinton Foundation, foreign
donations and the emails. I have 100 percent Clinton Fatigue. If Bernie
Sanders had been on the ballot, I would have voted for him, even though I
agree with him on virtually nothing. But he seems to be honest and stands up
for his beliefs and not for enriching himself.
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12 of 27
Phil
McNeish
57 years old
• Roanoke, Va.
I
am an independent voter who leans slightly to the left. I am a small business
owner. I am not an uneducated, deplorable redneck. Donald Trump, despite his
imperfections, will be the most left-leaning Republican president of all
time. Hillary Clinton would have steered the country further to the extreme
left, while Trump will be a good mix of left and right. We, in the middle,
are weary of partisan bickering. Trump was our best hope of a president
willing to compromise.
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13 of 27
Lori
Myers
51 years old
• Houston
I
voted for Donald Trump because the media was so incredibly biased. They were
unhinged in their obvious role as the Clinton campaign propaganda machine.
The collusion was just too much.
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14 of 27
Debra
Knox
61 years old
• Shallotte, N.C.
I
am concerned about my impossibly expensive health insurance and the impact on
my family. I am concerned about undocumented immigrants and the Democratic
Party’s propensity to give and give to everyone. The middle class is in dire
condition. I haven’t had a raise in 10 years. I couldn’t stand the thought of
four more years heading in this direction. My decision was based on my fiscal
needs.
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15 of 27
George
Erdner
65 years old •
Duluth, Ga.
It
was time we had a businessman with strong executive skills leading our nation
back to capitalism. We must reverse the trend toward socialism, and who
better to make that change than a capitalist?
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16 of 27
Christopher
Todd
53 years old •
Tampa
I
voted for Donald Trump on the calculated bet that he would nominate
conservative Supreme Court justices. The Constitution is a social contract,
not a poem to be variously interpreted. If people want to permit gay marriage
or abortion for any reason, then make both legal through the legislature, not
via an unelected oligarchy rewriting the Constitution.
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17 of 27
Mackenzie
Gans
28 years old • Las
Vegas
We
need to focus less on individually placating all the groups that make
American wonderful and more on solving issues related to the economy and
foreign adversaries. Tap-dancing around our national debt, our failure to
contain Iran and North Korea, and our long-term unemployed citizens helps no
one.
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18 of 27
James
Brady
74 years old •
Tennessee
I
voted for Donald Trump based on my Christian values. I didn’t know a lot
about Trump but I knew too much about the Clintons. This country needs to get
back on track with God, to give God praise, honor and glory each and every
passing day. He is worthy. I pray for the new administration that will take
office in January. I believe if Hillary Clinton had won the election we would
be dead in the water. Too many things she sought to get passed were against
any Christian belief for those who are true to Christ.
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19 of 27
Helene
Berkowitz
37 years old •
Hashmonaim, Israel
Unlike
most Americans, I know how to compartmentalize and separate my personal
opinion of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and my belief about who is
better for the job. I have always said — years before Trump was ever
interested in politics — that the country should be run like a business.
Meaning the United States should be led by someone who knows how to delegate,
and understands complex budgets, negotiation and leadership. That is why I
voted for Trump. I don’t need my president to be nice to everyone and to give
them a warm, fuzzy feeling. Get a bathrobe for that. I also don’t have to
agree with him on every single opinion or policy. I don’t need to be friends
with my president; I need him or her to lead the country, provide solutions
for our problems and make a stronger and greater United States.
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20 of 27
Jim
Barnacle
66 years old
• Harrisburg, Pa.
I
don't believe Donald Trump is a racist, misogynist or homophobe. I think he
will focus on making the economy better for American citizens and businesses.
I'm hopeful that he will help our inner cities and help everyone reach their
potential. I'm a 40-year veteran of law enforcement, and my two sons are cops
as well. My three sons-in-law are in the military. Hillary Clinton convinced
me that she does not support my profession or the military. I also believe
the Clintons were wrong for accepting so much money for speeches. They were
being paid for access, which is wrong.
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21 of 27
Daniel
Traynor
46 years old
• Devils Lake, N.D.
Because
the part of America that grows your food, produces your energy and fights
your wars believes the country needs a course correction.
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22 of 27
Laura
Johnson
49 years old •
California
Because
I believe Donald Trump loves America and really wants what is best for all
Americans, whether it be health care, jobs or just feeling safe in our
country. I want my gay friends, my friends of many races, to be safe in their
workplaces and homes and communities. I know that's very important to him.
And I could never get past the email scandal and Benghazi with Hillary
Clinton. That turned me off for good. My son is in the military. I just
couldn't vote for her. I believe Trump is sincere in his love of country and
his desire to make it better. I want to give him a chance.
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23 of 27
Samantha
Styler
21 years old
• Gilbert, Ariz.
I
am a gay millennial woman and I voted for Donald Trump because I oppose the
political correctness movement, which has become a fascist ideology of
silence and ignorance. After months of going back and forth, I decided to
listen to him directly and not through minced and filtered quotes from the
mainstream media.
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24 of 27
Marc
Gratkowski
46 years old •
Scranton, Pa.
I
favor Donald Trump's ideas on trade, his potential Supreme Court nominees,
and his support for inner cities and educational opportunities. The WikiLeaks
documents provided the most important reasons for defeating Hillary Clinton:
her campaign's vile "Catholic Spring" revolution to weaken my
church, and her foundations’s links to foreign money, especially from the
Uranium One deal and from countries that have provided funding to the Islamic
State. But the “Catholic Spring” and her campaign's response to this
revelation would have been enough on their own.
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25 of 27
Marilyn
Weydert
74 years old •
Kenosha, Wis.
I
voted against Hillary Clinton, and for Donald Trump, because Clinton
compromised our national security by putting classified information on a personal
email account and allowed people without security clearances to access that
information. As a retired federal employee with a security clearance, I have
protected classified information. Failure to do so has resulted in prison for
many, and rightly so.
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26 of 27
Ron
Sexton
61 years old •
Tustin, Calif.
Donald
Trump is willing to be open, to be transparent and to tackle the problems we
need handled as Americans. Fix immigration so immigrants can come here
legally with full rights and not be disadvantaged. Support the rule of law
and secure the border, and process violent criminals correctly. Fix the bad
global trade rules. China buys up the United States while Google and Uber
fail in China and Apple cannot even protect the iPhone name there. I think
Trump is smart and has a chance to do good things for the United States. He
is more of a doer than a politician. An inclusive president for all.
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27 of 27
Shoanna
Crowell
45 years old •
Boston
I
voted for Jill Stein, which my friends all yelled was a vote for Donald
Trump. I don't fully disagree. It was clear early on in the Democratic
primary contest that the mainstream media discounted Sen. Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.) even when he was winning states. Then the Democratic National
Committee emails came out, and I had proof of what I suspected. The Democrats
and the mainstream media had handpicked their candidate and were manipulating
us. They felt entitled to shove Hillary Clinton down our throats. I'm glad
they didn't get away with it.
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