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For Democrats and Republicans, it’s all about Trump Democrat or Republican, it’s mostly about Trump
(35 minutes later)
There were Hillary Clinton supporters who voted for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to send a message to Republican front-runner Donald Trump. There were Clinton supporters who cast their ballots for Trump, saying they want to make sure that he wins because they believe the former secretary of state will handily defeat him in November. And then there were those who voted for Trump because they love his to-hell-with-’em attitude and applaud what he has to say. There were Hillary Clinton supporters who voted for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to send a message to Republican front-runner Donald Trump. There were Clinton supporters who cast their ballots for Trump, saying they want to make sure he wins, because they believe the former secretary of state will handily defeat him in November. And then there were those who voted for Trump because they love what he has to say.
Either way, for many who participated in Virginia’s open primary on Tuesday, the election was all about the business mogul who has turned this campaign season upside down. For many who participated in Virginia’s open primary on Tuesday, the election was all about the business mogul who has turned this campaign season upside down.
“I hate to say it, but I like Trump,” Charlie Selby, 73, said after casting his ballot at Brentsville High School in Prince William County, a bellwether jurisdiction in an increasingly purple state that both parties say they must win in November to capture the White House. “He’s kind of a loudmouth, but he’s got people’s attention. . . . None of those other turkey necks ever met a payroll.” “I hate to say it, but I like Trump,” Charlie Selby, 73, said after casting his ballot at Brentsville High School in Prince William County, a bellwether jurisdiction in an increasingly purple state considered a must-win for both parties in November. “He’s kind of a loudmouth, but he’s got people’s attention. . . . None of those other turkey necks ever met a payroll.”
Bill Dennis, who owns a small carpentry business in the county, was participating in a primary for the first time. Mostly, he said, he liked Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration.Bill Dennis, who owns a small carpentry business in the county, was participating in a primary for the first time. Mostly, he said, he liked Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
“I’m self-employed, and the last bunch of years have been pretty poor,” said Dennis, 64. In an industry where illegal hiring is rampant, “it’s hard to compete. . . . I’m totally legal and do everything right,” he said. “I’m self-employed, and the last bunch of years have been pretty poor,” said Dennis, 64. In an industry where illegal hiring is rampant, he said, “it’s hard to compete.”
Of the 11 states where voters are casting ballots on Super Tuesday, Virginia is particularly prized. The commonwealth in recent years has been the most-predictive state in the nation when it comes to the general election. It is considered a key part of Clinton’s firewall against Democratic rival Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and it is one of the places where Republican underdogs Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich could gain some traction with moderate or establishment suburban voters. Polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Virginia, one of 11 states holding its primary on Super Tuesday, has been the most-predictive state in the nation when it comes to the general election in recent years. It is considered a key part of Clinton’s firewall against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and it is one of the places where Republican underdogs Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich could gain some traction with moderate or establishment suburban voters.
The latest surveys of voters suggest that Clinton will win comfortably, but Sanders has made an aggressive push in the commonwealth, especially among college students. Thousands of enthusiastic young supporters turned out to see him in Norfolk a week before the primary, and some booed at the mention of his Democratic rival. Polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Clinton is taking no chance, appearing in Fairfax and Norfolk on Monday and deploying an army of surrogates across the state in recent weeks, including Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who is a close friend; Timothy M. Kaine and Mark R. Warner, the Democratic senators from the state; and her husband, former president Bill Clinton. The latest surveys of voters suggest that Clinton will win Virginia comfortably, but Sanders has made an aggressive push, especially among college students.
If the Democratic establishment is on top in Virginia, the Republican establishment is in tatters. Trump appears poised to win easily, as he is elsewhere in the country, with support from Republicans across age and class lines. Clinton is taking no chance, appearing in Fairfax and Norfolk on Monday and deploying an army of surrogates across the state in recent weeks, including Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), a close friend, and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.
Rubio is fighting hard, though. He’s the only candidate with advertising support in the expensive Northern Virginia media market, where a super PAC supporting his campaign is on the air. But if the Democratic establishment is on top in Virginia, the Republican establishment is in tatters. Trump appears poised to win easily, as he is elsewhere in the country.
Rubio is fighting hard, though. He’s the only candidate with advertising support in the expensive Northern Virginia media market, where a super PAC supporting his campaign is on the air, and he made several stops in Virginia on Sunday.
At the Chrysler Museum of Art, in Norfolk, Rubio won the votes of Neal and Karen Crawford, who said they think he’s the best conservative choice in the race and represents the future of the party. “If the Republican Party wants to win, it needs to diversify,” said Karen Crawford, 52. “He represents the new generation of the party.”At the Chrysler Museum of Art, in Norfolk, Rubio won the votes of Neal and Karen Crawford, who said they think he’s the best conservative choice in the race and represents the future of the party. “If the Republican Party wants to win, it needs to diversify,” said Karen Crawford, 52. “He represents the new generation of the party.”
Jessica Dennis said she supports Clinton, but she took advantage of Virginia’s open primary to cast her ballot for Rubio — believing that by doing so, she could help stop Trump. She said she is confident that Clinton can defeat Sanders without her help. Kasich, who is holding an Election Day rally in Arlington, also received some support . “He’s a guy who’s been in Congress, who has run a state,” said Jim Damico, 51, who lives in Prince William and works as a regulatory consultant for government contractors. “He knows how to get along with people.”
Trump “talks a lot and says a lot of words, but frequently, I don’t think he knows what he’s saying,” said the 28-year-old Norfolk city employee, who also voted at the art museum. In Norfolk, city employee Jessica Dennis said she supports Clinton, but was casting her ballot for Rubio — believing that by doing so, she could help stop Trump. She said she is confident that Clinton can defeat Sanders without her help.
In liberal Arlington, legal secretary MadelonBloom had an even more convoluted strategy.In liberal Arlington, legal secretary MadelonBloom had an even more convoluted strategy.
“I voted for Hillary by voting for Trump,” she said after casting her ballot at Glebe Elementary School. “I think if Trump — I call him Chump — gets the nomination, people will be appalled, and the Republicans won’t vote in November.”“I voted for Hillary by voting for Trump,” she said after casting her ballot at Glebe Elementary School. “I think if Trump — I call him Chump — gets the nomination, people will be appalled, and the Republicans won’t vote in November.”
Kasich, who is holding an Election Day rally in Arlington, also was receiving some support.
“He’s a guy who’s been in Congress, who has run a state,” said Jim Damico, 51, who works as a regulatory consultant for government contractors. “He knows how to get along with people.”
Rubio made several stops in Virginia on Sunday, including in Loudoun County, about an hour’s drive northwest of Washington. It was at one of those stops that Rubio debuted his new strategy of openly taunting the front-runner with crude attacks.
“You know what they say about men with small hands,” Rubio said at a rally in Salem, Va., to laughter from the crowd. “You can’t trust them.”
It was also in Virginia that Rubio’s super PAC launched a Snapchat campaign in which supporters can add a Trump-style hat to their photos with the words “stop the con artist.”
Many Rubio supporters in Northern Virginia said they fear a Trump victory in the primary.
“I think Donald Trump would have a tough time [in the general election],” said Ron Wright, who is finance vice chairman of the Fairfax Republican Party and is backing Rubio.
The senator from Florida, in contrast, could appeal to Virginia’s increasingly diverse electorate, Wright said. Rubio is Cuban American. He was endorsed recently in South Carolina by that state’s Indian American governor, Nikki Haley (R), and its African American senator, Tim Scott (R).
Immigrant and Muslim groups in Virginia have said they will try to mobilize against Trump, but those groups historically have not flexed that much political muscle in the state.Immigrant and Muslim groups in Virginia have said they will try to mobilize against Trump, but those groups historically have not flexed that much political muscle in the state.
At the Herndon Community Center, where a steady stream of voters included many Hispanic and Asian immigrants, several Hispanics said they were backing Clinton and were offended by negative comments that Trump had made about Mexicans and illegal immigrants. At the Herndon Community Center, where a steady stream of voters included many Hispanic and Asian immigrants, several Hispanics said they were backing Clinton and were offended by Trump’s rhetoric on Mexicans and illegal immigrants.
“Hillary has a good heart, and the Democrats have a more human feeling than the Republicans for immigrants, whether they have papers or not,” said Maria Cardona, 57, a day-care worker from El Salvador.“Hillary has a good heart, and the Democrats have a more human feeling than the Republicans for immigrants, whether they have papers or not,” said Maria Cardona, 57, a day-care worker from El Salvador.
Among voters from India, China and the Philippines, including high-tech professionals and medical workers, opinion was far more diverse and more focused on economic issues than on the candidates’ views about foreign-born Americans like themselves. Opinion was far more diverse, however, among voters from India, China and the Philippines. Many focused on economic issues rather than the candidates’ views of foreign-born Americans like themselves.
One group of four Filipina women, all close friends and several related to each other, drove together to cast their ballots but split them among two parties and three candidates; two chose Clinton, one Trump and one Marco Rubio. “I don’t like all of Trump’s ideas, but he speaks from the heart. Plus, he makes millions of dollars, so he can probably do that for all Americans,” said Marivic Barasona, 56, a hospital nursing assistant. She was one of four Filipina women who drove together to cast their ballots but split them among two parties and three candidates: Two chose Clinton, one Trump and one Rubio.
“I don’t like all of Trump’s ideas, but he speaks from the heart. Plus, he makes millions of dollars, so he can probably do that for all Americans,” said Marivic Barasona, 56, a hospital nursing assistant. Many voters expressed limited enthusiasm for their choices on both sides of the political aisle. Brenna Isman, a 45-year-old non-profit worker in Arlington, said she was “not overwhelmingly excited” to cast her vote for Clinton.
Many voters expressed limited enthusiasm for their choices on both sides of the political aisle. “I was just thinking about all the hope we had eight years ago” said Barbara Kennedy, 51, a freelance writer in Arlington. “Now, you’ve got to choose the best of the worst. . . . I had to go with the safest, Clinton, because I think she knows what she’s doing.” “It felt like she was going to happen all along,” Isman said. Her tepid support might cool even further, she said, if an FBI investigation into Clinton’s email usage proves damning.
In contrast, 83-year-old Gladys Johnson of Richmond said she was excited about the potential to make history by electing the first female president. In contrast, 83-year-old Gladys Johnson of Richmond said she was excited about the potential to elect the first female president.
“Our country is in bad shape,” Johnson said. “It’s just time we get a lady in the White House as president. And I think she’ll do a marvelous job because whatever she has done, she has done a terrific, terrific job, and she’s still doing it.” “Our country is in bad shape,” Johnson said. “It’s just time we get a lady in the White House as president. And I think she’ll do a marvelous job.”
A polling place near Virginia Commonwealth University attracted lots of college students — a demographic that has rallied around Sanders. Jeff Aronowitz, a 30-year-old graduate student and Sanders supporter, said that throughout history, populist rhetoric like that spouted by Trump has proven dangerous. Sanders had his own enthusiastic supporters. “It’s about changing a political culture, and that starts today,” said Peter Lengyel, a 23-year-old student voting for Sanders in Arlington.
“I see people being motivated to get involved in the political process,” said Aronowitz, who went to Sanders’s recent rally in Norfolk. “There are a lot of scary candidates out there, and I don’t feel with a Hillary Clinton nomination people will be motivated to go out and vote.” Despite the complaints from some voters, there were several indications that the tumultuous primary season has captured the public’s interest.
In liberal-leaning Arlington and Alexandria, elections officials said the absentee-ballot turnout was significantly larger this year than it was before the 2008 primary, the last time there was no presidential incumbent. Arlington registrar Linda Lindberg said 2,368 voters participated in early voting in the county this year, up 200 from the 2008 primary. Almost 1,500 cast early or absentee ballots in the Democratic primary, a 10 percent boost from that year; 512 voted in the Republican primary, twice as many as in 2008.
Arlington registrar Linda Lindberg said 2,368 voters cast such ballots this year, up 200 from 2008. Almost 1,500 cast absentee ballots in the Democratic primary, a 10 percent boost from that year; 512 voted in the Republican primary, twice as many as in 2008. In Alexandria, 2,580 voters cast absentee or early ballots this year, said registrar Anna Leider. There were 1,695 Democratic early voters, 25 percent more than in 2008. About 885 voters cast Republican ballots, up 80 percent from that year.
In Alexandria, 2,580 voters cast absentee ballots this year, said registrar Anna Leider. There were 1,695 Democratic early voters, 25 percent more than in 2008. About 885 voters cast Republican ballots, up 80 percent from that year. Veteran precinct captain Mike Lane was astonished at the turnout at Alexandria’s George Washington Middle School Tuesday morning.
When polls opened, a line of over 85 people snaked out the door, and it didn’t shrink for the next 45 minutes. By 11:30 a.m., nearly 25 percent of all 4,177 registered voters had already cast ballots. In this heavily Democratic area, 323 took Republican ballots and 647 took Democratic ballots.
It’s “exceptional,” Lane said, and “incredibly unexpected.”
Pam Constable, Fenit Nirappil, Jenna Portnoy, Patricia Sullivan and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.Pam Constable, Fenit Nirappil, Jenna Portnoy, Patricia Sullivan and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.