By Jeb Bladine • President / Publisher • 

Whatchamacolumn: Public support quiet in our Trump-voting county

Why should people vote for Donald Trump to regain the U.S. presidency?

Editorially, the News-Register decided to forego that presidential debate question in 2024, for reasons explained below. Instead, the editorial board left it to others in the community, including offers for one major “op-ed” article from each side.

The op-ed supporting Kamala Harris / Tim Walz was published in late September, but despite written requests and several personal invitations, no supporter of Donald Trump responded.

Meanwhile, the newspaper received and published only two letters in all of 2024 supporting the Trump presidential campaign. A multitude of letters from readers advocated either for Biden/Harris/Walz or against Trump/Vance.

That might seem surprising in a county where voters favored Trump 55-45 over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and 52-48 over Joe Biden in 2020. Those results, however, don’t describe McMinnville and surrounds, where voting was 53-47 for Clinton in 2016 and 56-44 for Biden in 2020.

There are two obvious reasons for non-visibility of local Trump campaign support.

Whatchamacolumn

Jeb Bladine is president and publisher of the News-Register.

> See his column

First, we all know that Trump will lose in Oregon, where voters last supported a Republican presidential candidate with Ronald Reagan in 1984. Before that, except for backing Franklin D. Roosevelt four times in the 1930s-40s, Oregon’s only other support of a Democrat for president was for Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater in 1964. Trump’s campaign didn’t even bother to insert its candidate into Oregon’s 2024 Voters Pamphlet.

In contrast, except for FDR three times and Lyndon Johnson, the last time Yamhill County voters backed a Democrat presidential candidate was Woodrow Wilson in 1912.

Second, perhaps more telling, the personally inflamed nature of our current presidential campaigns can render people unwilling to admit publicly their support for the former president. That support comes from a variety of directions, which I’ll call the 4Rs of Trump politics: Record-Rural-Religion-Retribution.

Record, in part: The Biden administration was wrong on initial responses to challenges of the border and the economy, delivering Trump’s campaign its strongest issues. Never mind that border crossings have plummeted in 2024 and inflation is just 2.4 percent today – the 2021-23 post-pandemic record dominates the minds of many voters.

Rural: There are encyclopedic works on this topic. Suffice here to say that an NBC poll release this week says that 75 percent of rural Americans plan to vote for Trump in November.

Religion: Despite his own baffling religious orientation, Trump is fully embraced by conservative Christianity for delivering abortion control to the states and being a “cultural warrior” against various social and cultural policies of progressive Democrats. One interesting article found online, in Politico: “Evangelicals Hate Stormy Daniels But Love Trump.”

Retribution: Much has been made of Trump’s promises to seek revenge on his “political enemies.” But perhaps the real reckoning is represented by the response so many have to decades of liberal overreach in various areas of Americans’ lives. Perhaps their retribution will be to hold their collective noses and return Donald Trump to the presidency.

What else could explain the willingness of half our national population to support a candidate with so many personal and moral flaws? November, it seems, could produce an historic “serves-you-right” presidential vote, coming too soon for America’s centrists to reconcile the nation’s political polarization.

Jeb Bladine can be reached at jbladine@newsregister.com or 503-687-1223.

 

Comments

Bigfootlives

Hi Jeb,
You are correct, this is a majority conservative county and you have mostly alienated that population with the liberal bias of your newspaper. And that p**ses me off. I am 55 and grew up on the NR.

To prove that you have totally lost touch with over half of the county, you ask a question that either shows your total lack of ability to read the room or reflects the arrogance of your editorial board.

"What else could explain the willingness of half our national population to support a candidate with so many personal and moral flaws?"

SMH.

Moe

Meanwhile ...

Biden-Harris Deal with Mexico: Hold 400k+ Until November 5th

https://www.independentsentinel.com/biden-harris-deal-with-mexico-hold-400k-until-november-5th/

BC

Bigfootlives: I think you have the wrong Bladine. I'm pretty sure the torch has been passed to the next generation at this point.

BC

Bigfoot - oops. Sorry, I forgot this was Jeb's personal column. Carry on, nothing to see here. :)

treefarmer

“….so many personal and moral flaws.” The Republican Party has chosen as their standard bearer a person who fomented a violent insurrection which he now calls “a day of love.” They are either unwilling to acknowledge the reality we all watched unfold on video that dark day, or they found some convoluted way to justify it. They seem to accept Trump’s stated goals to seek revenge on his critics, up to and including execution (“the enemy within” as he calls us) by perverting the Justice Department to bend to his will. There were guardrails that held during his last reign, there were patriotic Republicans who prevented him from such vicious actions as shooting protesters, or migrants at the border. (We can be certain he won’t select patriotic Republicans for his cabinet if there is a next time.) Our national security was degraded by the theft and haphazard “storage” of top secret documents. If Trump would send scarce Covid testing equipment to his devoted friend Putin, imagine what was shared from those purloined documents? Two juries have found him liable for sex-related offenses, the first for abuse, the second for fraud related to concealing sexual indiscretion. His reckless lies have endangered hurricane victims and poll workers and judges; (to name but a few) his faithful will stop at nothing to exact revenge on those perceived as unfaithful. To gild the lily he has chosen a running mate who considers women akin to livestock with no value beyond breeding.

So, as we consider his history, witness his increasingly bizarre behavior and obvious cognitive decline, my fellow Americans continue to support him. Could it be that they disregard character? Do they share his toxic un-American values and want to live in a fascist state ruled by a cruel narcissistic demagogue? I wish I could UN-know these implications. In light of cold reality, is it any wonder that his supporters might want to be “quiet?”

fiddler

Good one!

Moe

I would think the N-R would love Don the Con.

After all, he didn't build the wall, brought us Operation Warp Speed, handed the keys to our country over to Fauci, and left office without so much as a whimper even though the 2020 election was not properly certified.

Moe

Meanwhile, if President Trump is elected in 2024, I believe there would be a huge surge of optimism, and our country might straighten up and save itself:

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN - Mitch Miller & His Gang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsgw0W1RE5A

Lulu

Who wouldn't welcome a sexual deviant, egotist, racist, mental midget, convicted felon, as well as a sociopath, to lead them goose-stepping into fascism???

Otis

Jeb, it's not half our national population. We're talking 70 million out of 330 million that voted for Trump in the last election. That's not half. That's not even a quarter. He'll be lucky to get that same amount this time. As for the polls, they seem very slanted due older people that still have landlines that bother to answer the polling surveys. For this election, Trump has drifted even further right and openly uses Nazi propaganda in his speeches and wants to use own military against U.S. citizens that dare to disagree with him.....all while forming massive detention camps for 11-12 million illegal aliens. If you're wondering what the Nazi regime would be like without the ovens, then vote for Trump.

Moe

Otis
"Jeb, it's not half our national population. We're talking 70 million out of 330 million that voted for Trump in the last election. That's not half. That's not even a quarter."

There were 330 million voters in 2020?

treefarmer


It certainly can be interesting to read the thoughts and opinions of anonymous people. Sometimes posts are informative and/or witty, sometimes clearly intended to offend, and sometimes filled with bizarre contradiction packaged in ludicrous revisionist history. i.e. Don is a con, - followed by ‘happy days are here again’ if Don is re-elected, - followed by a repeat of the thoroughly debunked lie that the 2020 election was not “properly certified,” and – *drum roll* - the assertion that the diabolical mastermind of a violent failed coup attempt conceded his loss with a gracious exit and nary a “whimper.” Unless it is just a way to provoke attention, that level of cognitive dissonance must surely be disorienting.

Shall we now consider recent critical issues at the top of one candidate’s agenda like:

--Who geo-engineered the hurricane to target only Republicans?
--The impressive size of the late Arnold Palmer’s “manhood?”

So many new and alarming irrational points to ponder!

treefarmer


It certainly can be interesting to read the thoughts and opinions of anonymous people. Sometimes posts are informative and/or witty, sometimes clearly intended to offend, and sometimes filled with bizarre contradiction packaged in ludicrous revisionist history. i.e. Don is a con, - followed by ‘happy days are here again’ if Don is re-elected, - followed by a repeat of the thoroughly debunked lie that the 2020 election was not “properly certified,” and – *drum roll* - the assertion that the diabolical mastermind of a violent failed coup attempt conceded his loss with a gracious exit and nary a “whimper.” Unless it is just a way to provoke attention, that level of cognitive dissonance must surely be disorienting.

Shall we now consider recent critical issues at the top of one candidate’s agenda like:

--Who geo-engineered the hurricane to target only Republicans?
--The impressive size of the late Arnold Palmer’s “manhood?”

So many new and alarming irrational points to ponder!

Moe

The $64 questions is, Who has been running our country for the last 4 years? Certainly not slow-Joe.

It isn't plausible that the American people would vote in the Kamal - Tampon-Timmy.

Assuming there is an election, a good bet President Trump will win the popular vote in a landslide. And despite the failures of his first 4 years, I believe there would be a huge surge of optimism. But it would be the American people running with that optimism that would save the day, perhaps with a better Trump second term.

That said, the real problem is the supra-national force revealed so obviously starting in 2020. Global weather warfare against populations is another indicator of this phenomena, witnessed recently in NC. I would be unsurprised if 25,000 people were killed in NC.

RobsNewsRegister

Hi Jeb. Interesting article but I believe that I like many conservative leaning (though some classic liberal in me too) people like me have tuned out the mainstream press. I mostly listen to financial press and overseas commentators to try to get objectivity.

Everything is so one-sided and contentious now adays it is hard to imagine at one point in our nation's history the presidential election winner served as president and the loser as their VP. Distributed power. Since then and Obama's "elections have consequences" win in 2008, we've divulged into a winner takes all mentality.

That is too bad. Whoever wins this year faces a VERY rough road.

The fiscal situation (not that any cares anymore) is an absolute mess.

https://www.financialsense.com/podcast/21055/alert-post-election-debt-bomb-ahead

Geopolitically it is even worse. BRICS is meeting this week as they are working on alternatives to the US dollar. In several letters to the editor in the NR during the Trump Admin I warned how Russia collusion hysterics were pushing Russia and China together. Now we know Xi sent future defense minister Li Shangfu to Moscow in 2017 successfully undoing Kissinger's grand achievement. Brilliant move on his part. Myopic Washinton nonsense on ours. See Shangfu's comments to Putin on the importance of 2017 in their relationship (height of the Russia, Russia, Russia crazy) from April 2023 below.

https://www.memri.org/reports/chinese-defense-minister-li-shangfus-visit-russia-buoys-russian-optimism

Now Russian troops normally in its eastern theatre fight in Ukraine and PRC troops from their northern lay opposite Taiwan. It is too late. A wider war is likely at some point. How it plays out is anyone's guess but I'm not sure we'll win this one. Those two powers complement each other well. Now is the time to get one's house in order. Prepare for shortages and the like as one would expect during war. Think Covid but worse. Regards, Rob.

RobsNewsRegister

I guess what I am getting at is that regardless of who wins a train wreck lay ahead. Sorry if it went a little off topic.

Moe

Otis
"Jeb, it's not half our national population. We're talking 70 million out of 330 million that voted for Trump in the last election. That's not half. That's not even a quarter."

There were 330 million registered voters in 2020?

//

Meanwhile, this headline:

"Michigan’s voter rolls list 8.4 million registered voters, nearly 500,000 more than the eligible voting population"

Good news for those with stage 4 TDS.

Bleepbloop

I can't be fact checking everything Moe writes because it would literally have to be everything they write, but this one was too much. A very basic search shows the extreme gullibleness of people like Moe. Ignore basic facts, rush to extremes, blame everyone else and finally, deflect when you are proven wrong. That is their playbook.

https://apnews.com/article/michigan-voter-rolls-fraud-fact-check-misinformation-3075e2cb1f7d69c27a5181a7e4ea7251

Moe

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
COMMITTEE, JORDAN JORRITSMA,
and EMERSON SILVERNAIL,
Plaintiffs,
v.
JOCELYN BENSON, in her official capacity
as Michigan Secretary of State; JONATHAN
BRATER, in his official capacity as Director of
the Michigan Bureau of Elections,
Defendants.
COMPLAINT
Case No. 1:24-cv-0026

INTRODUCTION
1. Section 8 of the NVRA requires States to maintain clean and accurate
voter registration records.
2. Michigan has failed to live up to the NVRA’s requirements.
3. At least 53 Michigan counties have more active registered voters than they have adult citizens who are over the age of 18. That number of voters is impossibly high.

https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/1_Complaint%20RNC%20v%20Benson.pdf

Bleepbloop

You are spouting straight up gibberish at this point. Look at what you copied and pasted. The rnc is suing. The Brennan center is defending. Let me bet, a) you didn’t read the ap article about how what you are alleging is fake and b) you think the ap is a liberal mouth piece. You are what’s wrong with America. Keep thinking you are smarter than everyone and enjoy your echo chamber of lies.

Moe

Nuts and bolts facts in the public record:

"At least 53 Michigan counties have more active registered voters than they have adult citizens who are over the age of 18. That number of voters is impossibly high."

"Michigan’s voter rolls list 8.4 million registered voters, nearly 500,000 more than the eligible voting population"

So what's the problem?

Bleepbloop

It’s not very hard to understand why that is not a problem. Read the AP article. Educate yourself. Stopping spewing false information.

Moe

Bleep:

Can you state in your own words the alleged false information?

Moe

Bleepbloop

No. I’m done with this. You win. You have worn me down. Scare tactics defeat truth. I can’t make you read why it’s not a problem so I won’t go about explaining it. Education is the enemy of the right.

tagup

A law suit is merely an accusation…. It’s not proof of anything.

Moe

The lawsuit is a good source of facts and pertinent issues.

tagup

Nope… only one sides opinion of the “facts”.

tagup

May I remind you of the 60+ lawsuits filed by a certain former President that alleged fraud in the last election? The plaintiff’s claims were not facts.

Moe

How did this thread start?

A bit of humor on my part:

Otis
"Jeb, it's not half our national population. We're talking 70 million out of 330 million that voted for Trump in the last election. That's not half. That's not even a quarter."

There were 330 million voters in 2020?

Not picking on Otis.
He may well know better, maybe not, I have no idea.
Subsequently, this arithmetic absurdity brought to mind:

Two more arithmetic absurdities:

"At least 53 Michigan counties have more active registered voters than they have adult citizens who are over the age of 18. That number of voters is impossibly high."

"Michigan’s voter rolls list 8.4 million registered voters, nearly 500,000 more than the eligible voting population"

Nowhere did I present any conclusions, speculation about the upcoming election, allegations of intended fraud, etc.

So, I don't get the objections.
Just think of these as fun arithmetic facts to ponder with morning coffee. No politics.

tagup

Hmmm, Instead of fun arithmetic facts, I find myself pondering the motivation of an internet troll, over my coffee this morning.

Moe

"First, we all know that Trump will lose in Oregon ..."

Really Jeb?

Meanwhile:

“We got to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to have taken this seriously.” — Que Mala

Otis

it's like watching someone's brain melt....and they are not aware that their brain has melted....and they keep turning up the temp knob.

Moe

Agreed, Que Mala must have the dread Brain Melt.

madmacs

Where are Larry and Curly? Your schtick doesn't really work without them.

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