Central Florida women could sway 2020 election. Meet 8 of them. | Special Report
As women go to the polls on the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment giving them the right to vote, their political might could be on display come Election Night.
And candidates know it.
At a campaign stop in
“Do they like
But nearly every national poll shows women favor Vice President
In
A poll of
As campaigns hit their apex and early voting is already under way, the
For
“I am voting for Joe Biden,” she said.
Ross, who attends the
“As a voter, being a minority, a woman and an
She was disappointed by Trump’s response to the death of
“It seemed like he had no remorse for what happened to
People of color, she said, pay taxes and deserve “equal and fair treatment” under the law.
She also worries about the lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic and said Trump is unfairly blaming
“I believe our country should have closed sooner,” Ross said. “We should have taken more precautions earlier. We should’ve started social distancing earlier, wearing masks.”
Trump, she said, acts like “wearing masks is not such a big deal, when it is.”
“It protects us and the people around us,” she added.
While Ross said she appreciates
For some voters, even those who support Trump, the president’s often-abrasive rhetoric is a turnoff. For
“I really like the fact he says what he’s thinking,” said Jackson, a 57-year-old attorney who lives and works in
But Jackson, a lifelong Republican, said she was bothered by the Access Hollywood tape where Trump talked about sexually assaulting women. The clip became public weeks before the 2016 election.
“I don’t think it’s OK. I don’t think it’s excusable,” said Jackson, a former model and Miss Wisconsin who said she faced sexual harassment when she was in her 20s. “I think it’s more normal than we would like to believe.”
Nonetheless, she voted for Trump. She intends to do so again, she said, because he has kept campaign promises he made four years ago, such as exiting the Paris Climate Agreement and the
Though Jackson said she tries hard not to spurn friends and family members who disagree with her political views, they have affected some of her relationships.
“I have a sister who doesn’t speak to me because I’m a Trump supporter,” she said. “My aunt in
Her mother, a Republican-turned-Democrat who lives in
“We’ve been talking about it for the last 24 hours,” Jackson said earlier this month. “At least we can talk about it.”
For
“Vote him out, that’s my No. 1 priority,” she said of Trump. “I’m having to vote for a candidate that I wouldn’t normally vote for, to defeat
Ale, 38 and a registered Democrat, said she would have preferred to vote for
As a single parent of two daughters, she said she’s struggled to follow politics amidst the pandemic, as she juggles employment to cover rent and health-care costs.
“Even with getting paid a good salary, it’s difficult for me with one income,” she said. “Especially as a single mom, it makes single mothers more vulnerable.”
She said she wants to hear candidates discuss how they’ll help increase wages and make the cost of living more affordable.
“For the last four years, all I’ve seen out of
She said she gets the mail every day and rips up the relentless attack advertisements from politicians ranging from president down to the
In 2016, she thought Trump would shake up the D.C. political class, but she said she quickly soured on him for his tweeting and fighting with adversaries.
With Biden, she’s irked by news reports of his son’s business ties in
Simpson, a retired appraiser, said she’s worried
“Social Security is my lifeline, and it’s not very much. But yet I pay my property taxes and my HOA fees,” she said. “I paid into that so I could get that when I retired, and they’re playing Russian Roulette with my
Pocketbook issues and worries about unrest are top of mind this year for
“I can’t wait to vote,” she said. “I just really want to support our president.”
Ellis, who lives in
She attributes her financial security, in part, to people’s confidence in Trump. At the same time, she worries about unrest in
“I can see the differences between the parties right now and it’s sad,” she said.
Ellis, who was born in
Though there was a shooting recently at the
“That was the beauty of America -- you felt safe and secure in your country,” she said.
Henry, who is voting for Biden, could help make that happen.
Biden wasn’t her first choice for the Democratic nominee -- she supported
“I’m definitely to the point where I don’t feel like I’m just voting against Trump,” she said. “I’m excited to vote for Biden and Harris.”
At her
Henry, 24, is focused on a candidate’s health-care priorities, as well as positions on climate change.
“For me, especially with the ongoing pandemic … their position on comprehensive health care including full reproductive health-care options is an especially important position for me,” she said.
When
“I was screaming right at the front fence, like I was last time,” she said.
Sarullo, 72, acknowledged the dangers posed by Covid-19 but said she’s healthy and the virus has killed more people in other parts of the world. (More people have died from the virus in the
Sarullo, a contributor to Trump’s re-election campaign, said life has improved since he took office four years ago. The stock market is doing well. Gas prices are low.
“He has goals for this county,” she said. “He respects our country, our laws. He wants us to live.”
Protestors are “destroying” cities like
Sarullo, who grew up in an Italian American family in
“Color has nothing to do with anything -- I’m tired of hearing that,” Sarullo said. “Be respectful, be educated, make your way in life.”
She’s not completely in lockstep with the president. Sarullo said she supports abortion rights, a position that puts her at odds with Trump and her Catholic faith.
She knew since she was a teenager she didn’t want to be a mother, though she is an enthusiastic aunt and spent years volunteering with children who had been abused.
After a career in sales for several large hotel chains, Sarullo now dedicates herself full time to running Pet Rescue by Judy, a nonprofit, no-kill shelter in
She hasn’t studied many of the local races yet, but said it’s likely she’ll “vote Republican all the way down the ticket.”
Then Lewis of
In her neighborhood, she said support for Biden appears to be the dominant opinion.
“All I hear is we need to get a new president,” Lewis said.
And Lewis has taken matters into her own hands to help get him elected: She’s printed flyers on her own to bring to senior centers, tried to coordinate rides to help transport voters to the polls and said she’s trying to boost turnout in Parramore, hoping voters there will take advantage of the location at the
“Don’t let anything keep you from voting,” she said her message has been.
Lewis, 81, said jobs are a top priority, with a focus on equal pay for women. She also said education and infrastructure should be top priorities.
Biden’s message of unifying the country has been especially effective, she said.
“It’s so pronounced now because our leader is leading the charge for racism; as a result of that, we’re so divided,” she said. “Yes, [Biden] makes some gaffes every now and then … but he’s really spoken about bringing us together and unifying our country.”
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