BRISTOL, Pa. (AP) 鈥� The presidential debate this week was the final affront to Rosie Torres' lifelong Republicanism. She said her allegiance to Donald Trump, already strained by his stand on abortion, snapped in the former president's 鈥渆ye opener鈥� with Kamala Harris.
It's time to put 鈥渃ountry before party,鈥� Torres, 60, said Wednesday in Bristol, a riverfront town in suburban Philadelphia. Trump left her frustrated after his appearance recently at Arlington National Cemetery when a member of his staff , she said.
鈥淚 still was willing to vote for Donald Trump,鈥� Torres said. 鈥淏ut you know, I think that what he did at the cemetery for the veterans 鈥� that was very disrespectful. I feel like our country is being disrespected.鈥�
In Bucks County, a critical area in a vital swing state, the debate is producing a lot of hard thinking about what to do in November. Millions of Americans elsewhere have made up their minds but in purple Pennsylvania, plenty of voting choices are still in play.
In interviews in Bristol and Langhorne, another longtime Republican came away from the debate intrigued but not sold on Harris, a young first-time voter is going for Trump, and a Democrat is still trying to shake the image in his head of people eating pets after Trump's 鈥渕oronic鈥� talking point on that subject Tuesday night.
A closer look at what voters in a key part of the country are thinking after what could be the only presidential debate:
She's still shopping
There's Mary Nolan, 70, of Bensalem, a registered Republican for 50 years who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Trump in 2020. She has more thinking to do after a debate in which Harris both impressed and frustrated her.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 happy with Biden-Trump,鈥� she said of the options before President Joe Biden his reelection campaign. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel we had any good choices. And I鈥檓 still not sure we do. We might. But I still want to see more about Kamala Harris.鈥�
She said she and her husband, who's registered as a Democrat, split their party registrations so they could have a say as a family in primary elections. Immigration, the economy (she said she had just paid $6 for a pound of butter) and the were her top issues.
鈥淚 like that Kamala Harris does say I am going to be the president for everyone," Nolan said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think our politicians say that often.鈥�
She figures she'll make her voting decision by the end of October, just days before the election. Meantime, she's aggressive about collecting information.
鈥淚 take different opinions from all over. I don鈥檛 do any blogs. It鈥檚 simply news. Different interest groups like AARP.鈥�
Her political ideology? 鈥淚 think the world is changing fast, and I鈥檓 still in my values from 1960,鈥� Nolan said.
What values?
鈥淔amily, home, morals. You know, our kids don鈥檛 have the upbringing that you did or I did because the streets are different now. I think if someone would say, you know, this is what I鈥檓 going to do to improve life in the United States, I definitely would vote for them.鈥�
She said she thought Harris had a good debate, but dodged some things.
鈥淚 did not like that she avoided questions. She talked around them when they asked her direct questions about abortion. There was one about abortion. There was another about immigration. And there were a couple that said, hey, you鈥檝e been here three and a half years, but you haven鈥檛 done those things that you鈥檙e saying are so important. Why not? She ran off into her talking points and never gave a direct answer.鈥�
But Harris gave her a good impression. Trump did not.
鈥淚 think yesterday, definitely Kamala Harris presented herself very well. She's dignified. ... She would be a good representative of our country."
Trump? 鈥淚 think his policies are good. I just want a more stable, dignified president." She wants 鈥渟omeone that doesn鈥檛 yell and scream and call people names.鈥�
This Democrat saw history unfold
Terry Culleton, 68, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, is a retired high school English literature teacher and was reading 鈥淎utocracy, Inc.鈥� by Anne Applebaum at a cafe Wednesday morning. His support for labor, then for civil rights and human rights, made him a Democrat.
He thought Harris held her own against Trump and articulated her plans well.
But what really stuck with him was Trump's false comments about immigrants in Ohio eating pets.
鈥淪o moronic a thing to say and to repeat that I just can鈥檛 get it out of my head that somebody would go on national TV and state that," he said.
He said he got a sense of history unfolding watching the debate last night.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 democracy versus something close to totalitarianism. I think it鈥檚 a matter of supporting democratic governments as opposed to supporting the kind of governments that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is trying to export, which Trump has no problem with, as far as I can tell."
Inflation led her to Trump
Kelli Surline of Langhorne was at a caf茅 with her fianc茅 and young daughter who wore an Eagles kelly green T-shirt. She described herself as politically unengaged until the pinch of higher prices got to her. She didn't watch the debate, in part, because she's made up her mind.
鈥淚鈥檓 28 years old and I鈥檝e never seen the country this bad ever," she said. 鈥淪o I made the choice to get my voter鈥檚 registration, and I鈥檓 definitely voting for Trump.鈥�
She talked about how difficult it has been to get ahead.
鈥淲e wanted to get a place together,鈥� Surline said, motioning to Geoffrey Trush, 40, her fianc茅. 鈥淲e're not able to do that." Instead, she's living with her mom. Unaffordable prices make it 鈥渁 struggle every week.鈥�
He was once a Democrat
Ron Soto, 86, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, is a longtime Trump supporter and retired tractor-trailer driver and Army veteran who left the Democratic Party in the 1990s for the GOP after coming to realize he disagreed with Bill and Hillary Clinton鈥檚 positions.
He said he tuned into the debate Tuesday, his hound dog, Sam, by his side, after watching the Phillies game.
Illegal immigration is a major issue for him and Harris didn't win him over.
鈥淭he biggest issue is I don鈥檛 like her, and I don鈥檛 like Joe Biden.鈥�
Saying he served in the Army from 1955 to 1963, Soto asked: 鈥淲hat the hell did I stick my neck out for? Why? So you can give it away? The Democrats can open the gates, the floodgates, and tell the whole world. You鈥檙e welcome. Come on in." He added: 鈥淭hese people have ruined this country.鈥�
She had her fill of politics
Christine Desumma, 50, a former Trump voter and the owner of a salon on Bristol's quaint shop-lined street, expressed frustration with both parties and said she won't be voting at all in November. She said her taxes were lower when Trump was in office and recalled the sting of COVID-19 shutdowns.
She got fed up, particularly with social media and Facebook. Online debates, she said, were driving a wedge within her own family, and she's washing her hands of it.
鈥淚 just made the decision that I鈥檓 not going to vote and I don鈥檛 want to hear it,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow I choose to not watch, not pay attention." She's found another pursuit.
鈥淚鈥檓 studying yoga," she said. "I got myself back.鈥�
Mike Catalini, The Associated Press
