Modestans express joy, hope for unity, and some trepidation, upon Biden election
Unlike major cities around United States on Saturday, there were few signs in Modesto that the country had elected a new president.
In areas around west and south Modesto, downtown and throughout the city, there were no rallies, no honking horns and nary a Biden-Harris sign to be found.
If you had driven around town, you would not have known that hours earlier, Joe Biden had been declared the winner of the presidential election over incumbent Donald Trump.
Nevertheless, there were some Biden and Trump supporters who had a lot to say about the result, which came at the end of four tense days of waiting and watching following Tuesday’s election.
“I woke up singing ‘Oh Happy Day’ and I haven’t stopped singing since I got up,” said Courtney Burroughs, a 26-year-old from Modesto. “I have a ton of energy and feel a lot lighter today than I have in a really long time. A lot of hope.”
Said Iris Granberry: “We got Trump out. That’s all I wanted.”
“Hopefully, we can get some peace around the United States,” said Manny Lopez, a former Modestan who lives in Cincinnati but was in town visiting family.
Not everyone was supportive of Saturday’s result, but the tones of those who opposed Biden’s victory were even and measured compared to those seen at a few election offices around the nation.
Early Saturday evening, the Modesto Police Department and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department reported no incidents related to Saturday’s election news.
Matthew, a Trump supporter who did not want his last name used for fear of “pushback” from his neighbors, felt calling the result before all the counting was done was premature.
He said that in a way, it forced the GOP to challenge the result, allowing Democrats to say conservatives weren’t accepting of the election.
“I would rather know every count of every legal voter,” he said. “I want it to be done with oversight. I see too much lack of oversight.”
He described Trump’s personality as “regrettable,” adding that his “mouth is ridiculous.” But he firmly stood behind the man he described as “the least conservative Republican of my lifetime.”
“I think he accomplished things in foreign relations, trade relations,” Matthew said. “I’m glad he’s pulling troops back from stupid, endless wars. I like what he was doing with the economy.”
Pro-Biden residents talked mostly about hope of unity and equity among Americans.
“It’s such a relief we’re going to maybe start to move in a new direction,” Karen Kingsbury said. “Working together, solving problems, trying to put country first and our problems first, not party.”
She, along with Lopez, were hopeful that a change in the White House might end a divide in this country that has fractured neighbors and families.
Zusette Rueda, a 15-year-old Downey High School student, said, “I feel Trump separated all of us and made it OK to hate on people of color. I don’t think that’s right. ... It’s 2020. Racism shouldn’t even be a thing anymore.”
Granberry said that under Trump, “being a Black woman, I didn’t feel equal.”
She said Biden has a lot to prove, and the most important issues to her are health care and getting control of the coronavirus pandemic, which cost her her job and has left her three children to learn from home.
Burroughs, who said Trump wasted an opportunity to get things done despite the GOP-controlled Senate and House his first two years, said she hopes the new administration will hold people accountable, pass legislation that will help people and beat COVID-19.
She said she tried not to get too invested in following the roller-coaster ride of the last four days after what she described as a crushing defeat four years ago when Trump won the presidency over Hillary Clinton.
Burroughs said she does not believe in the policies of Kamala Harris, but is thrilled she’s the vice president-elect.
“She represents a part of America that has never been represented in the White House,” she said. “I think that is a huge step in the right direction. Having a woman in this place of power to me solidifies that a female president is not far off.”
Matthew criticized Harris over her time as California’s attorney general, but is “willing to accept” the outcome of the election.
Julio Medina, a Trump supporter who was born in Mexico before coming to the United States when he was young, described the last four years as being prosperous for both the nation and his family.
As a Christian, he said he was taught to pray for “our leaders.”
“It doesn’t matter who the president is going to be,” he said. “We’re going to pray for our leaders.”
And Biden? “We’re going to need prayer more than ever.”
Diasha McDonald, 18, kept it simple. “I just want (Biden) to be a better president. Be positive. Don’t be negative.”
This story was originally published November 7, 2020 at 6:36 PM.
