The virus grimaces: Even older Americans who elected him turned their backs on Trump

As Axios observes, the statistics are simply cutthroat. An NBC / Wall Street Journal poll this week found that in the group of voters 65 and older, Biden is ahead of Trump by an impressive 27 percent. points (62% vs 35%).

The CNN poll results are similar: 60 percent. It makes 39 percent.In other words, the Americans who voted for Trump in troops in 2016 and helped him defeat him now, especially in the most volatile states, scare him in droves.

And they are afraid because they fear the coronavirus: COVID-19 has killed more than 210,000 people in the United States. people and hits older people harder.

Trump’s attitude, to put it mildly, is not inspiring; even after becoming infected with a coronavirus, he was quick to continue the campaign after a few dozen hours. It is with a mask, it is without, in addition, avoiding answering when was the last time that his coronavirus test was negative.

“The trend was visible even before the pandemic: Biden was chosen for healthcare, he’s popular with women. But in March, we almost shouted from the rooftops that if the elders didn’t vote for you, you wouldn’t win.

If you don’t take what kills older people seriously, you will lose the support of older people, “said Axios, a former senior White House official.

Frightening behavior during a pandemic

Election day, November 3, is still a long way off. But Barbara Suden, 75, has already voted. Like many voters in critical Florida, Suden voted early.

The woman says it was “incredibly easy” for her to decide to vote for Biden: “I often say, ‘ABT: Anyone but Trump.’

Trump is now backing away en masse, both because of the coronavirus and because of his administration’s plans to cut social benefits.

Barbara and her husband retired 15 years ago and moved from Pennsylvania to Florida. This state really attracts the elderly from the eastern United States – great weather, lower taxes. In Florida, up to 20 percent. The population is 65 or older.

Older people vote more actively than younger voters, and Republican candidates have been running for office for the past decade. But, as already mentioned, Trump is now backing away en masse, both because of the coronavirus and because of his administration’s plans to cut social benefits.

In Florida in particular, seniors are an extremely important constituency because in this state, election winners have recently been determined by less than 1 percent. point. The candidate, who won in Florida, won 13 of the last 14 presidential elections.

So it was with Trump in 2016, who swept the support of Florida seniors and, along with them, all the votes of the 29th Electoral College.

Trump himself is registered in Florida – last year he chose his “Mar-a-Lago” golf resort as his primary residence. But polls show that the Republican in this state loses the votes of the majors, despite the fact that Biden’s advantage is much smaller there than elsewhere.

“I wanted to vote for someone who can be an example for others. I have seven grandchildren. “They saw the debate and I immediately called everyone and told them it was impossible to act like Trump,” Suden said.

Of course, he also hinted at the Trump administration’s failure to deal with COVID-19: Biden supports the woman because she has left her home only a few times since March.

“If the pandemic had been managed better, the problems would not be what they are now. Yes, COVID-19 would be around, but it wouldn’t rush like that. This is what many older people think. All my friends don’t go out and nothing works. They are scared, ”Suden said.

There are many infections and deaths in Florida

Greg Strimple, director of the GS Strategy Group, a Republican-based polling company, agrees that many older Americans think like Barbara.

“Older voters are challenging the president simply because of his approach to COVID-19.” They are very concerned and upset, and the president’s reaction does not allow them to vote for him, “Strimple said.

According to the expert, voters really don’t like (as recent polls show) how Trump behaved when it turned out that he himself was infected with the coronavirus. For example, as soon as he was discharged from the hospital in front of the cameras, he took off his mask in a demonstrative way.

“It just came to our notice then. And the president’s behavior only reinforces the impression that something is wrong,” Strimple adds.

A survey by the University of North Florida found that more than 80 percent of state residents 65 and older favor wearing masks.

There haven’t been enough credible polls since Trump was infected with COVID-19, but the CNN study mentioned above shows up to 16 percent. J. Biden’s national advantage.

Importantly, the survey found that two-thirds of Americans consider Trump’s behavior irresponsible when infected with a coronavirus. Another survey by the University of North Florida found that more than 80 percent of state residents 65 and older favor wearing masks.

To date, more than 720,000 have been recorded in Florida. COVID-19 cases. In only two other states 100 thousand. The population has more infections and, in Florida, about 15,000 people died from the disease. people. More than a third lived or worked in a nursing home.

“Without a doubt, COVID-19 has contributed to a sea change in favor of Biden,” says sociologist Amy Levin. – Older people trust Biden much more if we talk about the coronavirus.

Will there be enough time?

It is true that several older people continue to support Trump and many of them call themselves conservatives all their lives. One is John Calandro, 74, from Michigan, who now lives in The Villages, a large senior community northwest of Orlando.

Calandro said he hoped that many of his neighbors “would continue to support the president very, very actively.” The man says hundreds of people gathered in town over the weekend to pray for Trump’s health.

“It just came to our notice then. But older people are often very aware of the importance of the state of the economy. Many of us live off investment and pension packages that have worked for us for a long time.

I am sure that the elderly will return to Trump and understand that a strong economy will allow us to defend ourselves against many things, ”says J. Calandro.

It’s true that strategists warn that Trump may run out of time this time; After all, many people who fear COVID-19 and don’t go very far from home have already voted.

“I am still waiting for a change in voter sentiment towards Republicans and Trump. However, something keeps happening and makes us doubt the actions and words of the president, ”says Strimple.