Trump support rises in pockets of Rochester despite losing Monroe County
MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. — Donald Trump lost New York State by over a million votes and Monroe County by more than 100,000 votes. Despite this, there were two areas in Rochester where he gained more votes than in the previous election.
Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean took a look at the voting in Charlotte, a part of the 26th legislative district. This area stretches along the river from Kodak Park to Lake Ontario. Trump received more votes here than he did four years ago.
Berkeley met with two friends from Charlotte: Tom Bruce, a Republican, and Jose Peo, a Democrat. Interestingly, Bruce voted for Harris, while Peo, a Democrat, voted for Trump.
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “Are you guys friends?”
Joe Peo: “Absolutely.”
Tom Bruce: “We are friends.”
Berkeley examined the election results closely. Trump saw slight increases in towns like Hamlin, Henrietta, Mendon, Webster, and others. In the city, he gained 111 more votes in the 22nd district, a largely Latino neighborhood north of downtown, and 245 more votes in the 26th district, Charlotte.
Peo believes the Democrats in his district lean more conservative or independent, contributing to Trump’s increased support. He voted for Trump because he wanted his team, while Bruce voted for Harris due to his dislike for Trump.
Bruce respects people like Peo who believe in a positive future but remains skeptical about economic promises, saying, “What I don’t believe is that the price of eggs are going to go down to $1.50.”
Berkeley: “I want you to finish this sentence: ‘The future is…'”
Bruce: “Good.”
Peo: “I need two words. America first. I’m really looking forward to America first.”
Despite these gains in Charlotte and the 22nd district, Trump’s overall vote count in the city and county decreased. Harris also saw a decline, receiving almost 11,000 fewer votes than Joe Biden in 2020.
If you want to take a look at the voting trend in 2024 compared to 2020 were you live, click here.
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