FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Reaction to former President Donald Trump’s conviction has been mixed yet strong in Stafford County, where in 2016, voters favored him more.
Outside of the immediate Northern Virginia region, counties begin to lean Republican, garnering a more varied response to Trump’s guilty verdicts on 34 counts of falsifying records.
A New York jury handed down the guilty verdicts after a roughly 10-hour deliberation over two days. The felony case stemmed from a hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.
“It’s all a dog-and-pony show,” Doc Killmon of Stafford County told WUSA9. “It was a waste of time. It was a waste of money. American people aren’t going to stand for it.”
“I think it was rigged,” Irene Shearer of Stafford County, who paid close attention to the trial, added. “I think a lot of people have seen exactly what this is about. They’ll lose a lot of Democratic votes.”
Firm Trump supporters in the county strongly believe the trial will influence the election to launch more voters to Trump’s side.
The former president already announced appealing the 34 convictions.
The election in November will ultimately reveal if the criminal charges and the attention it brings will influence results.
If you ask George Stabler, he’s not convinced it will make any difference. He also paid close attention to the trial and feels Trump deserved the verdicts.
“I think it was a completely fair trial,” Stabler said. “It’s a good thing I wasn’t in the jury because I think he was guilty. The guy is a crook.”
“No one is above the law,” said another Stafford County resident.
President Joe Biden won Virginia with 54% of the vote, but several counties still hold a strong Republican grip. More residents in neighboring Spotsylvania County voted for Trump to win in the last two elections.
Trump may have won Stafford County in 2016 with 51% of the vote but Biden took back voters in 2020.
Paradise Diner owner David Hanna isn’t swayed by the conviction. To him, Trump needs to return to the White House to help the economy.
“It doesn’t change my mind because I saw what happened when he was our president,” Hanna said. “He was beneficial for all Americans.”
“Look, the box of eggs was $42 but it’s now over $100.”