Shanen Ebersole, a Republican voter from Iowa, is voting for Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Despite some reservations, Ebersole feels confident in her decision to support Trump over other candidates. Ebersole initially supported Nikki Haley before Trump won the GOP nomination. She considered voting third party but ultimately decided to stick with Trump because she believes his policies prioritize the American people and benefit those in middle America, like herself.
Iowa served as an early battleground in the 2024 campaign, testing Trump’s hold on the GOP following his 2020 loss and subsequent legal issues. Trump won the caucuses in Iowa, revealing both his firm grip on the party and the divides among Republican women who had initially supported other candidates. Despite Iowa’s predominantly red status, Ebersole’s decision to support Trump highlights the state’s Republican leanings and preference for conservative policies that align with Trump’s platform.
Ebersole believes that the Democratic Party is becoming more liberal and favoring government mandates, particularly in climate and land policies. She supports Trump’s trade policies, which she feels are better for her business, and views Vice President Kamala Harris as more liberal and likely to push activist government ideas. Ebersole is critical of Harris’s ties to California policies and sees her as disconnected from the lives of those in middle America.
Chris Mudd, another Iowa voter, supports Trump for his policies on regulation and immigration, despite benefiting from clean energy incentives under the Biden administration. Mudd values Trump’s experience on the world stage and believes he would be better equipped to negotiate peace deals, particularly in the Middle East. Mudd is critical of the media’s treatment of Harris and echoes Trump’s claims of potential election fraud if Harris were to win the presidency.
Betsy Sarcone, a mother based in Iowa, is resigned to voting for Trump in the upcoming election due to dissatisfaction with the current state of the economy and high grocery prices. Sarcone views Harris as ineffective and considers her policies to be far left and overly woke. She believes Trump has been rattled by the switch to Harris as his opponent and wishes he would focus more on relevant issues. Similarly, Priscilla Forsyth, a Sioux City attorney, sees Trump as lacking focus now that Harris is his opponent, but ultimately supports him over Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, due to concerns about their left-leaning policies.
Overall, Iowa voters like Ebersole, Mudd, Sarcone, and Forsyth are critical of Harris and view her policies as too liberal and out of touch with middle America. Despite some reservations about Trump, they ultimately feel more comfortable supporting him based on his past performance and policies that align more closely with their values and priorities. The dynamics of the 2024 election in Iowa highlight the continued support for conservative ideals and skepticism towards liberal policies, further solidifying the Republican stronghold in the state.
