For Alabama voters, it's as much who they oppose in the 2020 election as who they support

AUBURN -- For many Alabama voters, Tuesday's ballot was less about who they supported than who they opposed.

In 28 interviews throughout the state Tuesday, voters in both parties cited their opposition to certain candidates as much as they discussed their support for others. Republican voters were likely to criticize Democratic candidates more than they praised the Republicans they voted for.

“I’m not a fan of Trump, but he was certainly the lesser of two evils in my opinion,” said Doug Lewis, a retired engineer who lives in Auburn. “Biden doesn’t have any brains left, and his running mate is so far to the left that she would be the end of our country.”

Voters who supported Democratic candidates had many reasons, but one that came up over and over again was Donald Trump.

“He’s lied to us from the beginning about COVID-19,” said Rodney Thomas, a student at Alabama State University who lives in Montgomery. “Every single day he lies to us, and he’s putting people’s lives at risk when he’s holding these rallies. We’re sick of having someone who is not a leader but acts like a tyrant.”

Alabama should be a safe Republican state for Trump, and polls suggest Republican U.S. Senate nominee Tommy Tuberville will defeat Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in the race for Jones' seat.

Whatever the outcomes, Alabama was looking at a potential record turnout on Tuesday. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said Tuesday afternoon that he expected turnout to land in the 68 to 75% percent range. The recent record for turnout is 76%, set in the 1992 presidential election.

Merrill said voting to that point had gone smoothly.

"We’ve not had any instances or occurrences that have been reported to us that could not be dealt with at the local level," he said.

Like Lewis, those who voted Republican said they were not enthusiastic about Trump as an individual candidate, but supported his policies.

More: Alabama voter's guide to the candidates on the ballot on Tuesday

“I just don’t really agree with many of the policies that the Democrats are trying to put out this time around,” said Daniel Barton, a grocery store manager who lives in Pike Road. “And Trump has done a decent job despite his shortcomings. I can’t disagree with the work that he’s done.”

Bill Caskey, a consultant who lives in Auburn, said he voted for the Republican program.

"I like his policies," he said. "Pretty much all of the ones he’s enacted over the last four years, around immigration, around trade, tax reform. I don’t have to like the man, but I like the policies."

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden supporters seemed more supportive of their candidate, though they were as likely to cite Trump as Biden in giving their reasons for supporting the Democratic nominee.

“I just thought that it was time for a change,” said Kiera Turner, a medical assistant from Montgomery voting in her first election. “I wasn’t able to vote when Trump was in office because I was not old enough. I've just seen how big of an impact that it made and I just had to make sure that I came out and voted today.”

Linda Micale, a Gadsen retiree, said she felt Biden would be a better fit for the presidency.

“I’m ready for change, and I think he’s a good man,” she said.

Those patterns also repeated with people’s choices in the U.S. Senate race between Jones and Tuberville. Those who supported Tuberville said they were more interested in his support for Republican policies than in Tuberville himself.

“I believe in the policies that the Republicans are putting forth more so than the Democrats,” said Bill Caskey, a consultant from Auburn.

Jones’ supporters said they favored the incumbent’s experience and said he seemed able to get things done in the Senate.

“He has reached across the aisle, and he has worked hard for the people in the state of Alabama,” said Andre Howard, a hair salon owner and football coach who lives in Montgomery. “I don’t think Tuberville is capable of doing that.”

More: Will the MPS property tax pass? Here's what Montgomery voters said at the polls Tuesday

Those interviewed cited a range of issues they wanted to see addressed, from the pandemic and the economy to social issues. Braynard Collins of Montgomery said he worried about coronavirus and “the state of America, as far as the divisiveness.”

“It’s time for a change,” he said. “We need unity, not divisiveness.”

Amy Himmelwright, an Auburn attorney who voted for Trump, said social issues and the economy were her priorities.

“A lot of people say the country is not going in the right direction, and right now I think we’re in chaos,” she said. “I think we need to get back to the ideal of the country and get some sanity back.”

Denise Nalley, who works in the insurance business in Gadsden, said her main issue was “keeping our freedoms.”

“That and unborn babies,” she said. “But I feel like we’re on the verge of losing our freedom.”

For some, the major issue was Trump. Joy Fair, a part-time church secretary who lives in Tuscaloosa, said her concern was “the honesty and dishonesty of the president.”

“You can’t trust anything he says,” she said. “He’s demeaning the office, demeaning the country on a worldwide stage.”

Valesia Collins, a plant worker who lives in Montgomery, said “the entire election is important.”

“My anxiety has been really high with this,” she said.

This story was reported by Safiya Charles; Kirsten Fiscus; Brad Harper; Krista Johnson; Brian Lyman; Jason Morton and James Rodgers. It was written by Lyman.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: For Alabama voters, it's as much who they oppose in the 2020 election as who they support

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