What's up, Washoe? Voters' worries in key Nevada county
As the United States hurtles towards a presidential election this November between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, AFP has been taking the temperature in key counties of six battleground states.
Washoe County is crucial to deciding who gets the six electoral college votes available in Nevada on the march to the White House-winning number of 270.
Here's what five Washoe voters said was most important to them in the election:
- Wine store owner Karen Miner -
For Karen Miner, a 56-year-old wine store owner, the biggest issue is the economy, and she is voting for Trump for that reason.
"I've seen a big decrease in sales: we're down about 40 percent over just three years ago, so it's huge," Miner told AFP.
"A lot of people who were buying $100 bottles are like: 'Why don't you show me something for $75?'" she noted.
"We need to get Trump back in there. Otherwise, we're going to be in really serious trouble."
Another issue on Miner's mind is homelessness, which she said was "far worse" than ever before.
"In the downtown area, you used to see maybe one or two homeless people, if you really were looking for them and walking around. And now it's in your face every single minute, and it's all over. It's shocking," she said.
- Package handler Christina Pixton -
Christina Pixton, a 39-year-old package handler and union member, says the Republican former president will not get her vote.
"Trump is really anti-women. Trump and his party are the ones that are backing all the abortion bans," Pixton said.
"It's not just preventing women from getting rid of regular good pregnancies. It's getting rid of women's right to be able to take care of themselves. Once we've seen our bodily autonomy go, what comes next?
She also said Trump was "anti-union, anti-employee" and indeed champions of "the One Percent."
"My fears for this country going into the election is what corporate greed is going to bring to it," Pixton said.
"Honestly, if Trump wins, I'm really worried that corporations will have a free-for-all again on... how they treat their employees."
- Lawyer Larry McCullough -
Larry McCullough, 74, a lawyer and retired US Marine, is a Trump supporter, and says immigration is an important issue.
"There's going to be mass deportations, whether the Democrats like it or not. It's got to happen, because we never invited these people to come here," he said.
"There's no respect for America in the world under (President Joe) Biden's leadership. Trump had the world's respect, and more importantly, he's the first president in many decades to reassert nationalism for America."
- Tesla employee Andres Villa -
Andres Villa, a 32-year-old service supervisor at Tesla, says he wants a strong leader to "avoid going to World War III or something, with all the turmoil you hear about."
For Villa, a key issue is "just focusing on the US, focusing on what we have going on internally and just becoming a better country."
"When Trump was in office, he said a lot of crazy things. But it seemed like the economy was running a little bit better," he said.
- Sales executive Josh Morris -
Josh Morris, a 40-year-old commercial sales executive, says democracy is "clearly on the ballot," more so than at any point in his lifetime.
"You see quite a few politicians, particularly on one side, who are arguing about election fraud," Morris told AFP.
"I'm afraid of a dictatorship. I think some of the rhetoric that's been thrown around is extremely dangerous in this country.
"Most folks in this country that have a certain bumper sticker don't understand how the three different distinct branches of our government work. And that's pretty sad to see."