Anoka County voters could decide who wins Minnesota in 2024 election. Here's their opinions
ANOKA, Minn. — Anoka County is one of the few counties that could decide who wins Minnesota in the 2024 presidential election.
In 2016, Donald Trump shocked the experts when he almost won the state, losing to Hillary Clinton by just 1.5%. That year, Trump carried Anoka by nearly 10%.
In 2020, he lost Minnesota to Joe Biden by 7%. That year, Trump carried Anoka County by 1.9% — that's a nearly 8% drop in support for Trump from 2016 to 2020.
Bud Holst is a retiree and a fierce Trump supporter.
"It's hands down Trump over Biden," he said. "I think he has given as much to this country as any one of the founding fathers."
Jan Howard is not in the majority in this Republican stronghold.
"Hell yes," she said when asked if she was concerned Trump could get elected.
Amidst the Swedish pastries, WCCO heard again and again concerns about inflation.
"As a business owner, I definitely worry about the cost of everything. Even here at the bakery, the prices are going up," Desiree Van Bogart said.
Van Bogart is a chiropractor and mom of three. She also worries about something even deeper — a sense that the rest of the country is moving on without her.
"Anoka is just such a small town community. A lot of people here are seeing so much change and the changes that are coming about and it's happening so fast," Van Bogart said.
For voters like her, only one candidate can help.
"As a small business owner, I definitely think Donald Trump is more sensitive to the small business owner. It really feels like the regulation and the fees and the rapid inflation is really tough under Biden," Van Bogart said.
In the midst of interviewing small business owner Tracy Strombeck, a person interrupted, shouting, "Get rid of that brainless Trump. He is an idiot."
WCCO brought the off-camera shouter on camera.
"I heard the person sitting here saying something good about Trump and I cannot say anything good about that man. I really can't," the shouter, Sara Bard, said.
Bard says she has listened to the former president.
"His remarks the other night on TV — that, 'the suburban housewives love me.' What does that mean politically and what is the basis for that?" Bard said.
During WCCO's time in Anoka County, none of the Republicans brought up — on their own — abortion or Trump's legal problems. A few did mention immigration and the border wall, but the overarching concern from every Republican was the economy and the impact of inflation.
Democratic voters, on the other hand, their main concern was Donald Trump being re-elected. They did not bring up President Joe Biden's policies.