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What Macomb County voters are saying about a Trump 2024 presidential run

Posted at 6:31 AM, Nov 16, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-16 06:31:57-05

After months of teasing a big announcement, former President Donald Trump is seeking another term in the White House.

Trump officially launched his third campaign for president on Tuesday night, one week after a disappointing Midterm Election for Republicans.

We are still more than a year away from the 2024 presidential primary, but some voters have made up their mind already.

Macomb County played a huge role in helping Trump win Michigan in 2016, winning the county by 11%. In 2020, he won by 8% but did lose Michigan and the presidential election in the state.

Even his endorsements proved less beneficial than anticipated in the 2022 election.

Die-hard supporters continue to have Trump's back in the county, as they told us, while people on the fence aren't shy in their feelings, either.

Gail Bidinger voted for Trump in 2016, but the Macomb County voter said in the last few years, her feelings about the former president have shifted.

"It was everything you know, the way he embarrassed the country," she said. "I think there are probably a lot of people that will support him, I'm hoping a lot of people got their wits about them and won't."

Others in the county are elated, like Matt Williams and Helen McRoberts

"I'm excited about it. I think it's the best news I've heard in a long time," Williams said.

I didn't like some of the way he presented himself, President Trump, but I liked his policies," McRoberts said.

Dave Dulio, a political science professor at Oakland University, said Trump will need to convince the Republican voters down the middle.

"Trump's diehard supporters are going to cheer it very loudly. But I think many more republicans now are going to have a negative reaction to it," Dulio said.

Particularly after the Midterms, where many Trump-backed candidates underperformed, including in Michigan.

Just yesterday, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey reiterated he thinks Republicans can put up a different candidate, one that better represents the country.

Dulio and other experts said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis poses a big internal challenge for the president, and there's former Vice President Mike Pence, who told ABC he would give consideration to running.