JACKSON — Mississippi stayed in the Republican column for the 10th straight presidential election Tuesday, giving Donald Trump a comfortable win and the state’s six electoral votes for president.
Trump secured the presidency, with national media announcing at about 1:30 a.m. he had earned the 270 Electoral College votes needed.
The state’s voters were choosing Trump by a broader margin than they chose Mitt Romney four years ago as vote counting continued early Wednesday, but turnout could be lower than in 2008 or 2012, when nearly 1.3 million Mississippians cast ballots.
Regina Lenoir, who cast her ballot at a fire station in Picayune, was among the voters who said Trump’s message resonated with them.
“I voted for Mr. Donald Trump today because I feel like he can bring our country back to greatness. We’ve had eight years of division” and it’s time for change, said the 69-year-old retired bookkeeper.
Trump was strongly backed by Gov. Phil Bryant and other leading Mississippi GOP figures, with Bryant campaigning in other states as a Trump surrogate. The Republican’s strong performance nationally was also good news for U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss, whose leadership of the Republican effort to retain control of the U.S. Senate was looking successful late Tuesday.
William Garbo of Ridgeland said he’s struggled in recent years as a petrochemical engineer because of low oil prices, relying on Social Security to make ends meet. A Trump voter, he said he thought Tuesday’s election was “absolutely the most important election I have ever participated in,” saying he felt he had “no choice” but to support Trump.
“He’s not necessarily the best candidate we could have put out, but he’s the clearest choice of the two that I have,” Garbo said. “It has to do with many issues, one of which would be the economy, the $20 trillion in debt, the lack of jobs, the loss of jobs. I think he’s a businessman and has the acumen to deal with that in the proper way.”
The Republican nominee favored Mississippi in August with a rare visit during the general election campaign. Trump held rallies in Madison and Biloxi during the primary campaign, and Donald Trump Jr., his son, made a Neshoba County Fair appearance that drew thousands.
Some voters in Republican-leaning areas said they could not endorse Trump, though.
“I don’t like Donald Trump. He’s disgusting to women, talking about grabbing women in their private parts. He’s just scary,” said Judy Wood, who voted for Hillary Clinton at Highland Colony Baptist Church in Ridgeland.
Mississippi’s African-Americans remained reliable supporters of Hillary Clinton, citing Bill Clinton’s presidency and her work for Democratic issues.
“It really wasn’t a choice to me today,” said Jennifer Bolar, 55, who voted for Clinton in Picayune. “Trump has never been for all people. He’s been for the rich, the famous. That was the main reason I voted for Hillary. Not because she’s a Democrat, which I am. But because she wants to be a president for all people, not just for some.”
Mississippians have voted for a Democratic presidential candidate just once in the last 64 years, when Georgian Jimmy Carter edged out Gerald Ford by less than 15,000 votes in 1976. Before that, the last Democratic winner was Adlai Stevenson in his failed 1956 campaign against Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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