US Election 2016: Grey vote plumps for Donald Trump at America’s ground zero

Poll boost: Donald Trump at a rally on Tuesday
AP
Robert Moore2 November 2016

The pollsters call this area the Ground Zero of American politics. Motorists know it as Interstate 4, the highway that cuts through suburban central Florida.

Let’s just say it’s the most contested piece of real estate in this campaign. If Donald Trump wins big here on Tuesday, he will be victorious in Florida and a significant step closer to the greatest shock in American presidential politics since ... well, actually the biggest in the history of the republic.

When you want to gauge the mood in this part of Florida, there is only one destination. The Villages is the largest retirement community in America; 120,000 elderly residents living in a gated city.

Slightly shockingly — I rather expected these gentle elderly folk to be in the centre of the political spectrum, worrying about their grandchildren’s future and the cost of medication — this is Trump territory.

Virtually everyone we spoke to supported Donald Trump and had a disturbingly personal dislike of Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election

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One woman said of the sexual assault allegations: “Donald only talks about it; Bill Clinton does it.” Once again, millions of politically alienated voters are giving Trump the benefit of the doubt.

Inside the campaign of Mrs Clinton, there is a gnawing anxiety. Like many people outside of America, Democrats are surprised it’s even close. They see Mr Trump as a sociopath and they believed that the multiple women who have alleged sexual assault would destroy him as a viable candidate.

In a sign of some desperation, the Clinton campaign is now deploying the biggest gun of them all. President Obama is in North Carolina today trying to recreate the winning coalition he first compiled eight years ago. But can he turn the tide? In a few days we’ll find out. Whatever happens, the political drama is only just beginning. A wearily victorious Hillary Clinton would face paralysis by investigation. Republicans would launch endless probes and congressional inquiries.

Tens of millions of Trump supporters will never deviate from their view that she should be in prison, not the White House.

And if Donald Trump wins next week, America is going to face a political earthquake that will send tremors around the world.

We will then have to entirely reassess our view of America, its values and its place in the world.

Robert Moore is the Washington correspondent for ITV News.

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