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| In a Divided Wisconsin County, Many Choose Political Silence | In a Divided Wisconsin County, Many Choose Political Silence |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| LIME RIDGE, Wis. — It was late afternoon and her bar was close to empty, so Lisa Buttonow poured herself a cherry-chocolate beer and broke one of her rules: Never reveal in a public place how she feels about President Trump. | LIME RIDGE, Wis. — It was late afternoon and her bar was close to empty, so Lisa Buttonow poured herself a cherry-chocolate beer and broke one of her rules: Never reveal in a public place how she feels about President Trump. |
| “You’ve got to be so careful around here,” explained Ms. Buttonow, owner of the Branding Iron Roadhouse in Lime Ridge, population 165. “You never know who’s a Democrat and who’s a Republican.” (As if to emphasize the point, she insisted that her own leanings were not for publication.) | “You’ve got to be so careful around here,” explained Ms. Buttonow, owner of the Branding Iron Roadhouse in Lime Ridge, population 165. “You never know who’s a Democrat and who’s a Republican.” (As if to emphasize the point, she insisted that her own leanings were not for publication.) |
| In this county, there are almost equal numbers of both. Sauk County, known for its small farms, sweeping bluffs and award-winning cheese making, is one of the most closely divided counties in the United States. Out of more than 31,000 votes cast here in the November election, Mr. Trump edged out Hillary Clinton by only 109 votes. | In this county, there are almost equal numbers of both. Sauk County, known for its small farms, sweeping bluffs and award-winning cheese making, is one of the most closely divided counties in the United States. Out of more than 31,000 votes cast here in the November election, Mr. Trump edged out Hillary Clinton by only 109 votes. |
| Here is a place that defies easy stereotypes of red and blue America, a mostly rural county in central Wisconsin that split nearly down the middle between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump. | Here is a place that defies easy stereotypes of red and blue America, a mostly rural county in central Wisconsin that split nearly down the middle between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump. |
| Residents say they will freely discuss the Packers, the fickle weather, the best kind of feed for Black Angus cattle. But especially since the election, there has been a tacit agreement not to talk about presidential politics, except among small, trusted groups of like-minded friends. | Residents say they will freely discuss the Packers, the fickle weather, the best kind of feed for Black Angus cattle. But especially since the election, there has been a tacit agreement not to talk about presidential politics, except among small, trusted groups of like-minded friends. |
| “Everybody has their opinions, of course,” said Wendy Crary, the clerk and treasurer for the village of Spring Green. “But they keep them to themselves.” | |
| Some people said that even in a place with a nearly 50-50 mix of Republicans and Democrats, they still managed to live in their own bubbles. | Some people said that even in a place with a nearly 50-50 mix of Republicans and Democrats, they still managed to live in their own bubbles. |
| “I try to hang around with the people that I’m used to hanging around with, people that I know share my beliefs,” said Larry Mundth, 61, a dairy and beef farmer in Reedsburg who is a Democrat. “I do know people who are positive, optimistic and Democratic. Those are the people I surround myself with, more often than not.” | “I try to hang around with the people that I’m used to hanging around with, people that I know share my beliefs,” said Larry Mundth, 61, a dairy and beef farmer in Reedsburg who is a Democrat. “I do know people who are positive, optimistic and Democratic. Those are the people I surround myself with, more often than not.” |
| Mr. Mundth said it was conservatives who had isolated themselves from everyone else. “There are some very strong bubbles in our area, people who are basically one-issue voters,” he said. “They do not look at the whole picture.” | Mr. Mundth said it was conservatives who had isolated themselves from everyone else. “There are some very strong bubbles in our area, people who are basically one-issue voters,” he said. “They do not look at the whole picture.” |
| Republicans described a similar silence on political talk. John Starling, 55, a farmer in Lime Ridge who is a Republican, said that even mentioning whom you voted for could be needlessly provocative. “It’s so polarizing,” he said. “You don’t torment people to their face.” | Republicans described a similar silence on political talk. John Starling, 55, a farmer in Lime Ridge who is a Republican, said that even mentioning whom you voted for could be needlessly provocative. “It’s so polarizing,” he said. “You don’t torment people to their face.” |
| Al Exner, chairman of the Sauk County Republicans, sat in a diner in Reedsburg on a recent morning, recounting the times when arguments about politics could go on “tooth and nail” for hours, even among the best of friends, and nobody would walk away offended. | Al Exner, chairman of the Sauk County Republicans, sat in a diner in Reedsburg on a recent morning, recounting the times when arguments about politics could go on “tooth and nail” for hours, even among the best of friends, and nobody would walk away offended. |
| Mr. Exner, 80, regularly gets together over eggs and hash browns with old friends who have met for years. There are a few Democrats in the group. No one is allowed to discuss the new president or his policies. | Mr. Exner, 80, regularly gets together over eggs and hash browns with old friends who have met for years. There are a few Democrats in the group. No one is allowed to discuss the new president or his policies. |
| “I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut,” Mr. Exner said. “There were days when we had our differences, but you could talk about it. Those days of disagreeing and being able to continue a conversation just don’t exist anymore.” | “I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut,” Mr. Exner said. “There were days when we had our differences, but you could talk about it. Those days of disagreeing and being able to continue a conversation just don’t exist anymore.” |
| “It’s the Democrats’ fault,” he added. | “It’s the Democrats’ fault,” he added. |
| Both sides said the animosity in Wisconsin began to fester years ago, when Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, was elected and began an aggressive campaign to scale back the power of public sector labor unions. He succeeded, and was the target of widespread protests and a statewide recall campaign that ultimately failed. | Both sides said the animosity in Wisconsin began to fester years ago, when Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, was elected and began an aggressive campaign to scale back the power of public sector labor unions. He succeeded, and was the target of widespread protests and a statewide recall campaign that ultimately failed. |
| Then in November, many rural, blue-collar voters who had previously favored Barack Obama turned their support to Mr. Trump, helping him win the state by almost 23,000 votes. | Then in November, many rural, blue-collar voters who had previously favored Barack Obama turned their support to Mr. Trump, helping him win the state by almost 23,000 votes. |
| To Wisconsinites who knew that their state had not voted for a Republican in a presidential election since 1984, it was a jolt. | To Wisconsinites who knew that their state had not voted for a Republican in a presidential election since 1984, it was a jolt. |
| “I look at these farmers and think, how can you vote Republican?” said Diane Kirt, 64, a retired teacher in Reedsburg who favored Mrs. Clinton. She said she did not “advertise” her choice in the November election, and tended to associate with people who were like-minded. | “I look at these farmers and think, how can you vote Republican?” said Diane Kirt, 64, a retired teacher in Reedsburg who favored Mrs. Clinton. She said she did not “advertise” her choice in the November election, and tended to associate with people who were like-minded. |
| “You don’t go out of your way to make enemies,” she said. “I spend most of my time with educators.” | “You don’t go out of your way to make enemies,” she said. “I spend most of my time with educators.” |
| In interviews around Sauk County, Democrats and Republicans said they now found it nearly impossible to debate the issues. Democrats asked: How they can talk about politics with Republicans when the Republicans don’t even believe that Mr. Obama was a United States citizen? (Mr. Exner said he believed Mr. Obama’s birth certificate was a fake, but he does not talk about it unprompted.) | In interviews around Sauk County, Democrats and Republicans said they now found it nearly impossible to debate the issues. Democrats asked: How they can talk about politics with Republicans when the Republicans don’t even believe that Mr. Obama was a United States citizen? (Mr. Exner said he believed Mr. Obama’s birth certificate was a fake, but he does not talk about it unprompted.) |
| Republicans countered that the Democrats do not consider Mr. Trump to be a legitimate president, because he lost the popular vote and because they believe he received a boost from the Russians, who interfered with the election by hacking the Democratic National Committee. | Republicans countered that the Democrats do not consider Mr. Trump to be a legitimate president, because he lost the popular vote and because they believe he received a boost from the Russians, who interfered with the election by hacking the Democratic National Committee. |
| The residual tension over the election has played out in other ways. One man said he had been told that some Republicans who know of his political affiliation would not shop at his business. Another woman said she had stopped shopping at a neighbor’s store in town after seeing a Trump sign in his front yard. | |
| Wessie and John Dietz, a married couple in Reedsburg who voted for Mrs. Clinton, mostly keep political talk to a small group of Democrats who meet every two weeks at their cabinetry shop after they have closed down for the day. | Wessie and John Dietz, a married couple in Reedsburg who voted for Mrs. Clinton, mostly keep political talk to a small group of Democrats who meet every two weeks at their cabinetry shop after they have closed down for the day. |
| “This is very much a 50-50 community,” Mr. Dietz said. “It is different here now than it ever was. The issues have become very intense. I think the biggest problem is the lack of people studying the issues.” | “This is very much a 50-50 community,” Mr. Dietz said. “It is different here now than it ever was. The issues have become very intense. I think the biggest problem is the lack of people studying the issues.” |
| During the campaign, they learned that their next-door neighbors, a couple they have been friends with for 35 years, were supporting Mr. Trump. | During the campaign, they learned that their next-door neighbors, a couple they have been friends with for 35 years, were supporting Mr. Trump. |
| “From that time on, I decided that until they stopped watching Fox News all the time, there was no use talking to them about politics,” Mrs. Dietz said. | “From that time on, I decided that until they stopped watching Fox News all the time, there was no use talking to them about politics,” Mrs. Dietz said. |
| They are still close. But the friendship has chilled a bit since that conversation, Mrs. Dietz said. | They are still close. But the friendship has chilled a bit since that conversation, Mrs. Dietz said. |
| “There’s a different feeling now,” she said. “In my mind, how can they vote for a sexual predator? These are churchgoing people.” | “There’s a different feeling now,” she said. “In my mind, how can they vote for a sexual predator? These are churchgoing people.” |
| Carolina Lipscomb, 32, works in a store in Reedsburg that sells flags and other patriotic items. Her husband is in the military and stationed in Germany; she voted for Mr. Trump, partly based on her belief that Mr. Obama did not really support military families. | Carolina Lipscomb, 32, works in a store in Reedsburg that sells flags and other patriotic items. Her husband is in the military and stationed in Germany; she voted for Mr. Trump, partly based on her belief that Mr. Obama did not really support military families. |
| She and her co-workers can freely discuss politics in the store, but not outside it. | She and her co-workers can freely discuss politics in the store, but not outside it. |
| “All of us here are conservative, so we can talk here,” she said. “But you can’t get into it with anyone unless you know how they voted. If you’re talking to a liberal, they would just lash out at you, saying how stupid and ignorant you are. That’s why I stopped.” | “All of us here are conservative, so we can talk here,” she said. “But you can’t get into it with anyone unless you know how they voted. If you’re talking to a liberal, they would just lash out at you, saying how stupid and ignorant you are. That’s why I stopped.” |
| She and her best friend argued about refugee policy once during the campaign — a conversation that ended with Ms. Lipscomb’s friend accusing her of being heartless. “I didn’t have fights like this in 2012,” she said. | She and her best friend argued about refugee policy once during the campaign — a conversation that ended with Ms. Lipscomb’s friend accusing her of being heartless. “I didn’t have fights like this in 2012,” she said. |
| They have not talked about Mr. Trump since the election. |