Warring neighbours in rural Wisconsin have warned that “people will die” because of the bitter divisions caused by the US Election. Residents of Door County, on the banks of Lake Michigan, have an incredible record of picking the winning president in every contest since 2000. But according to locals the Express met during a pre-election visit to the area the “swingy” voting patterns in recent years have created a polarised community.
On the outskirts of Sturgeon Bay, Chris Kellems has erected a giant Kamala Harris sign, beside a Ukraine flag and a large banner that reads “Choose reason over treason-vote blue on November 5.” When she moved to Wisconsin from California for retirement 12 years ago, Kellems was a fully-fledged Republican. But, as Donald Trump gained momentum in the race to be the presidential candidate, she felt increasingly alienated from the party on issues like guns and abortion.
These days she and her husband campaign for the Democratic Party, a decision that has generated serious anger in a county that was historically redder than red. “I’ve had people yell at me and it’s like; if I have signage out I have to expect that,” she told the Express. “No one has stopped and physically threatened me.
But I did have one of my neighbours say ‘you liberals think you can do anything you want.’” It’s like, no, we don’t we do everything by the rules.” The animosity Kellems says exists between the two sides is now so extreme her status as.
