Gilroy
– If the presidential election were to be held in Gilroy today,
it seems Democratic candidate John Kerry would win – by a hair.
Many Gilroyans aren’t completely convinced Kerry will do a
better job of leading the country than President George W. Bush,
but many say they’ll likely vote for him simply because they don’t
like the current president.
Gilroy – If the presidential election were to be held in Gilroy today, it seems Democratic candidate John Kerry would win – by a hair.
Many Gilroyans aren’t completely convinced Kerry will do a better job of leading the country than President George W. Bush, but many say they’ll likely vote for him simply because they don’t like the current president.
Kevin Lee, a 40-year-old undecided voter, compared the election to an old shirt.
“This year I want to vote because I want to see change, something new,” said Lee, who moved to the United States from Vietnam 20 years ago and said he’s never voted in an American presidential election. “It’s like if you wear the same shirt for four years. After a while, you need to change it. It gets old.”
Other residents, though, are unwavering in their support for Bush, saying they think he’s an honest, straightforward and capable leader.
“If the Democrats had come up with someone better, I might have jumped ship and voted that way,” said Anne Smith, a registered Republican who said she’s planning to vote for Bush, but unenthusiastically. “I’m not overwhelmed with Bush. I think he’s honest, and I think he’s a good man. But he’s certainly not as bright as a bulb. I don’t know why either party can’t come up with someone more worthwhile.”
Accusations that Kerry flip-flops too much have circulated for months, and some Gilroyans agree wholeheartedly. Kerry talks a good talk, they say, but he doesn’t have any solid plans in place, and he’s backtracked on support for several issues – mainly, the war in Iraq.
“He’s in one place and he’ll say one thing. He goes to another place and says something completely different,” said 44-year-old Bob Dunn, a registered Independent but committed Bush voter this election. “And Kerry says, ‘I have a plan, I have a plan.’ Well, show me what that plan is. Don’t just keep talking about it.”
Natalie Mesusan, an 18-year-old cosmetology student at Gavilan College, is still undecided about who she’ll vote for. She’s leaning toward Kerry, but she says she doesn’t feel Kerry has much of a backbone.
“He’s too wishy-washy,” she said. “I’d want to be able to support my president 100 percent. I don’t feel like I could do that with him.”
Other Gilroyans say they knew they’d vote Democratic well before the candidates were even announced.
“We can’t do any worse than George Bush,” said Natalie Ayala, 75, who said she worries most about the economy and health care. “I didn’t even think of voting for him in the last election, and I won’t even think about it now.”
Joan Bozzo, a registered Republican who said she’ll vote for Bush, said she’s sympathetic to the cards the president has been dealt while in office, primarily the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
“Many of the decisions he’s had to make have been a result of the circumstances, in my opinion,” she said. “And how do we know Kerry can do any better?”
Forty-five-year-old Herb Ortuno, a truck driver in Hollister, is confident Bush should serve four more years.
“He can finish what he’s started,” said Ortuno, who submitted his absentee ballot for Bush last week. “People are much more critical of him than they are of Kerry, especially about the war.”
Top issues
Iraq and national security top the list of what many Gilroy residents seem most concerned about this presidential election. Parents worry for the safety of their children, and some are fearful of the possibility of a draft, even though both candidates have said they will not institute a draft.
“My son is 26, and he’s expecting his first child,” said 62-year-old Maureen Honeycutt. “So of course, I worry for him and his family and what things might be like for them. And I have friends who served in Iraq for four to five months, and it’s hard. You’re constantly worrying.”
But doubts about the war aren’t enough for some committed Bush voters to turn their back on a president they think is holding strong.
Dave and Paula Kowal, registered Republicans who said they’ll both vote for Bush, say they’re wary of Kerry’s political persona and international policies.
“We have to stick with our principles,” Dave Kowal said. “I think Kerry presents a certain weakness, and when terrorists see that, it’s an open door for them to come into this country, blow up buildings and kill innocent people. If we back off and pull out (of Iraq) right away, the terrorists aren’t going to back down. They’re going to capitalize on that opportunity.”
The Kowals have family members who have served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and the couple says mainstream media reports of how hated America is overseas are exaggerated and false.
“These people in these countries are appreciative of what Americans are doing over there,” Paula Kowal said. “Generally speaking, the military is supportive of Bush. It changes your perspective when you hear it firsthand, from someone who’s been there, rather than from all the media reports.”
But Iraq is not the issue many Gilroyans think affects them most directly. The economy, the job market and health care – especially for seniors – seem to be the most pressing issues on a personal level. Many think Bush has neglected domestic issues while focusing too narrowly on the war.
“I don’t like that he’s outsourced so many jobs. That bothers me,” Bozzo said, even though she says she’s voting for Bush.
Hostility
While the debate over who to vote for has been relatively peaceful in Gilroy, some people have gone to extreme lengths to make their opinions known.
Earlier this week, several signs on front lawns in Gilroy promoting Bush and vice presidential running mate Dick Cheney were slashed or covered with mud. Mark Zappa, co-chair of Bush/Cheney ’04 for South Santa Clara County, said several other signs around town have been stolen or vandalized.
While some Gilroy residents say they’ve witnessed such hostility between the two voter groups in their own personal circles, many say they’ve seen more often people engaged in positive, rational discussion.
“I think there’s a lot of people who are still undecided at this point,” Honeycutt said. “But I don’t see any good reason for vandalism or violence.”
Patty Arellano, a 25-year-old Democrat who said she’ll vote for Kerry, says she encourages discussion among her friends as long as it’s meant to open each other’s minds.
“Talking is good, because you need to see what other people are thinking,” she said.
Democratic and Republican Gilroyans alike say they have family members or friends who are dedicated liberals, and they try to avoid political conversations because they know the debates might get too heated.
“People just get so angry,” Honeycutt said. “And the more they talk about it, the more irate they get. I like diversification, but only to the point that people don’t get hurt.”
Joey Fraga, an 18-year-old Democrat, takes a weekly political science class at Gavilan. While many of his classmates are Republican, he said, he enjoys hearing their opinions and likes the challenge of presenting his.
“It makes you able to appreciate other people’s views,” he said. “Everyone has their own opinion. I think there’s a lot more people voting this year because the election is so close. If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice.”
