Donald Trump supporters flood battleground capitals in denial of results
PHOENIX, AZ.-Their front lawns tell the story of why Gary Landi hasn't had a conversation with his next-door neighbour in four years.
The side-by-side homes in the Estacada Village of Phoenix both have stucco exteriors and red shingled roofs in the traditional southwestern style. But while the neighbour boasts several large Trump flags on top of the house, Landi keeps his single Biden-Harris sign under his front window, to reduce the chances it'll be stolen in the night.
It's pretty divided," Landi said, both of his fractious relationship with his neighbour and of Arizona as a whole during the 2020 presidential election. I mean they ignore me, I ignore them, so it's fine, we don't bother each other. But you know, it shouldn't be that way."
He's hoping Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election, projected Saturday by all major news organizations, could change things for Americans across the country, and allow them to share a little more common ground.
Joe Biden, I hope he can do what he's been doing all his life and that's working across the aisle and making people understand each other," Landi said.
America discovered the results of the 2020 presidential election Saturday when the state of Pennsylvania was finally called for Joe Biden, putting him above the 270 electoral votes necessary to win. (The outcome in Arizona remained unclear.) It was news longtime Democrats like Landi embraced with a large exhale, and a hope that Biden, as president, will succeed at quelling some of the deepest divisions that have stoked tension in America throughout Donald Trump's four years in the Oval Office.
But as Landi celebrated and contemplated a more co-operative future, many Trump supporters were far from ready to accept the outcome of the election and turn toward thoughts of uniting the country. Following the lead of Trump himself, who has refused to concede the election to Biden, thousands of Americans pledging loyalty to the outgoing president flooded the cities of battleground states - including Phoenix, Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia.
Outside the capital building in Phoenix, at least 400 protesters assembled Saturday afternoon, chanting things such as stop the fraud" and count the votes."
Echoing Trump, the crowd repudiated what they called fake news" mainstream media sources and refused to believe Trump had really lost the election. Some cited claims, for which there is no evidence, of voter fraud reported on websites like 4chan and on social media.
Debra Aiello, a Scottsdale Arizona woman, said she believes Trump's word that we" won the election - which he tweeted Saturday morning - above the word of the media and the official reports of vote counting agencies across the country.
They are going to have a lot of crow to eat," she said. He knows who won, he's got all the proof. Trump is a very smart man."
Others in Phoenix held out hope that the reported results in places that went for Trump last time, including Arizona, would be proved wrong.
Embedded in communities that support Trump, and knowing few friends and neighbours who support Biden, Don Eastman said he can't believe Arizona would go blue.
There's so many weird things going on. With the show of support that Trump has had here in Arizona, there's no visible support for Biden whatsoever," Eastman said. So it's hard to believe that it's all this close, quite frankly."
He said he wasn't sure what it would take for him to have faith that the electoral process was, in fact, fair, and that Biden had been elected president. But he said if the result remained the same after a recount, he would personally grin and bear it.
Trump's message, alleging voter fraud without evidence, has been amplified by Republican officials and elected representatives in key states, including Arizona.
Republican congressman Paul Gosar has been instrumental in galvanizing support for a days-long demonstration at the Maricopa County elections centre in Phoenix, where Trump supporters have chanted things like we're watching you" at the officials counting votes inside.
Kelli Ward, chair of the Arizona Republican party, called Saturday for a hand recount in her state and said she didn't think Trump should concede.
The only people projecting are the media and I don't believe the fake news," she told reporters.
Arizona became one of the crucial states for Trump after election night, when it became clear that Biden's lead in the state and in Nevada could spell victory for the Democrat.
If, as it appears Saturday, Arizona turns blue, it will be the second time since the 1940s that the state has chosen a Democrat for president.
Landi, the Democrat with the lawn sign, is not surprised. Just the opposite.
If we don't flip I'm going to be real surprised and disappointed in my state. Because everybody I know ... tried to do something to help turn the tide," he said. More than last time, more than many years in this state."
To Landi, it's a message from Arizonans that even people who usually vote Republican draw a line when it comes to Trump's divisive tactics. He remains baffled by the support for Trump, and uncertain about whether he'll be able to repair relationships with former friends he's become distanced from over the last four years because they supported Trump.
It got so that I just couldn't understand how they could support the stuff he did. I just don't get it," he said. All my friends, we've been waiting to get rid of him. Because he's just a divisive, horrible man."
Alex McKeen is a Vancouver-based reporter covering transportation and labour for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @alex_mckeen