THE VILLAGES, Fla. (NewsNation) — The Florida community of The Villages has played a significant role in past presidential elections. Though it’s a conservative stronghold home to retirees and supporters of former President Donald Trump, some residents now say they’ll vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
NewsNation correspondent Xavier Walton visited The Villages to find out how residents of the sprawling central Florida facility located in Sumter, Marion and Lake counties plan to vote.
Which candidate fits residents’ needs?
Kim Perrone, a nine-year resident of The Villages, grew up as a Republican and later became an independent, but now plans to vote Democratic.
“My main concern is that my children continue to live in a free country, in a democracy,” Perrone said. “With Project 25 … possibly being used as a plan for this country under Trump, it’s just horrific. … It’s a blueprint for lots of people losing their rights — women, diverse cultures, diverse ways of life — and that’s just wrong. I think that’s the biggest thing to worry about right now.”
Florida resident Diane Ericson also said she believes the Democratic Party best aligns with her needs.
“Whereas the last two elections I voted Republican, I am going to vote a straight Democratic ticket,” she told NewsNation.
While Ericson plans to go a different direction in November, Florida resident Brian Broome is sticking with the familiar.
“I think over those four years that (Trump) served, he proved to me that he’s a lot more conservative in his policies than I thought he was going to be, and because of that proven track record I will be voting for him again,” Broome said.
‘I think we are all concerned about the economy’: Retired voter
Resident Terry Ragsdale said economics matters most to him as a retiree.
“A lot of us are down here in a position that it’s not as big a deal with the cost of food and all that stuff is, but a lot of folks are on a budget,” he said. “Put them on a budget then you only get them to buy 70% of what they could afford before, that’s a problem. We’ve got to get that straightened out, and I think Trump is the man who can do that.”
Tom Wiseman shared similar sentiments, adding that inflation is also a top issue for the community.
“I’m an old retired guy, so I’m on fixed income and inflation has just eaten up every little bit of extra money we’ve had every month,” he said. “I’m very much so concerned about the economy particularly moving forward in the next four years.”
Pat Ferrari added that while his friends avoid discussing politics due to differing views, border security and the economy are top issues he’s concerned about.
“No matter which part of the fence we fall on, I think we are all concerned about the economy,” Ferrari said. “We have to because we’re all retired.”
Will Florida become a battleground state again?
With attention on the Democratic National Convention and Harris’ momentum building ahead of the election, Democrats are considering Florida as a possible battleground state again. The state’s GOP finds Harris’ surge in the polls “extremely alarming.”
The latest polling from Decision Desk HQ and The Hill shows Harris at 49% nationally, with Trump at 46%.