Supporters of former President Donald Trump packed the streets outside of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office where the Republican presidential nominee campaigned Tuesday, Aug. 20.Santino Mattioli
HOWELL, MI — For the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns this summer, Michigan has remained a high-volume destination for candidates hoping to tip the swing state in their favor come November.
In recent weeks, the southeast region has proven an especially popular destination for the campaigns of Republican Donald Trump and his Democratic opponents; first, President Joe Biden, and now, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The region features a mishmash of counties where previous election cycles saw voters in one community favoring different candidates than those in bordering communities.
For example, Livingston County voters favored Trump over Biden in 2020. The largely-rural Livingston County shares borders with six counties. Of those six neighbors, four counties voted in 2020 for Biden, who won the statewide vote four years after Michigan sided with Trump in 2016.
The most recent presidential campaign stop in Michigan landed Trump in Howell — the county seat of Livingston County — on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
In the sidewalks surrounding the venue that hosted Trump’s visit, dozens of the Republican’s supporters spent hours expressing their support of his 2024 bid for the White House.
Within the group, though, there were some Harris supporters opposing the visiting candidate.
In a video feature that captured the scene, MLive filmed a disagreement between two citizens on opposite sides of the political spectrum. It was an exchange that illustrates the political divide that sometimes separates geographically-close residents in that corner of Michigan.
In the 2-minute clip, Howell resident Jeff Amayo — wearing a Harris-for-president pin — said the most important issue in this election was preserving democracy.
When a nearby Trump supporter overhead the interview, she responded and engaged in a debate over the definition of democracy and political allegiances in the community.
“This is not just Trump country: This is a town, with varying opinions,” Amayo said.
The Trump supporter told him Howell was “a conservative community” and said “people like you have infiltrated” the community.
The two residents then engaged in a sometimes-heated conversation over Confederate flags; the Jan. 6, 2021 riot in Washington D.C.; and Jim Crow laws.
“I appreciate you,” Amayo said near the end of the clip, seemingly attempting to defuse the tension. “This is America. We are entitled to our opinions.”
The video is available on YouTube by clicking here.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2024).
© 2024 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us).
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.
Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.
YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here.
Ad Choices
