Talking To Voters Outside A Secaucus Polling Station

SECAUCUS, NJ — The nonstop pouring rain did not keep voters home in what could be a record turnout midterm election this Tuesday. Secaucus Town Clerk Mike Mara told Patch he "hasn't seen this many people at polling stations in a long time."

"I won't have the voting numbers in until tonight when all the votes are counted," Mara said. "But I went to all the polling stations between 9 and 11 this morning and there was a constant flow of people. That's unusual for a midterm."

Whether you love him or hate him, President Donald Trump seems to be on most people's minds today.

This Patch reporter talked to voters around noon today as they walked out of the Harmon Cove polling station. Some shouted out, "Dump Trump!" while others walking right beside them excitedly said they think Trump is doing an excellent job.

"We are total Republicans and Trump has done everything right. We're voting for Hugin," said Harmon Cove resident Lorraine Luzzo, 82, with her husband, Louis.

"The economy is doing well, there are jobs, patriotism is back in our country," she said.

Others had clearly different views.

"President Dump, as I call him, is hands-down the worst president we've had in a long time," said Secaucus resident Steve Laspina, 64. "He is an embarrassment to our country. I'm embarrassed by his racist policies and what he says."

"I agree!," said a woman walking by. "He is immoral, he's terrible."

Others said they weren't bothered by issues facing the man at the top of the Democratic ticket – Sen. Robert Menendez – who has been dogged by corruption charges for years.

"That did bother me, but not as much as I hate Trump," chimed in another Democratic voter, who only wanted to be identified as Nick, 72. "And that doesn't bother me as much as Hugin being a big pharmaceutical executive and making millions off sick cancer patients. And Hugin raised thousands of dollars for Trump in New Jersey. He's a big Trump supporter."

"The corruption charges bother me, but Menendez is the lesser of two evils," said Dominick Rose, 36, who said he's begrudgingly voting for Menendez today. "I didn't like either Hugin or Menendez, but you have to pick one."

Michael Alarcon, 42, is a Harmon Cove resident and Republican who voted for Trump. He said he will be voting for Hugin today because he thinks Trump has done a good job.

"Liberal Democrats screamed and yelled over the past two years and that's not how you govern. Instead, all that screaming and yelling is what has driven a lot of Republicans out to vote today," he predicted. "I think Trump has done an excellent job on the economy and on immigration."

Alarcon, who is Latino, was educated at Harvard University, works in finance, but declined to give details beyond that, saying readers would just stereotype him as a wealthy Republican.

"I have gotten some push back from fellow Latinos for supporting Trump. But I think there is a separation in the Latino community between people who just believe what they read on the news and people who fact check it, and find the truth is quite different," he said. "And the media definitely has a purposefully negative attitude towards Trump."

Alarcon said he doesn't think Trump's immigration policies or rhetoric have been racist at all.

"He wants to make sure there is order in our immigration system. He respects people who follow the laws and due process to get into our country," he said. "And he's very correct in acknowledging that things take place such as child trafficking and smuggling in drugs and guns and criminals. This is not about race at all."

Rose manages a car dealership and voted for Republican George W. Bush ("He was actually my favorite president"), Barack Obama, Trump and Gov. Phil Murphy. He said he would have voted for Bernie Sanders if he had been the candidate against Trump.

"I just try to look at the issues. This is actually the first time I've ever voted in a midterm. But to me, the issues are too important today: Healthcare, legalizing marijuana, which I strongly support, and tax reform," he said. "I think Trump has done a good job so far. But Hugin is not for legalizing marijuana, which I support."

"I don't like some of what (Trump) says, the race baiting, the anti-immigration stuff. I think he needs to clean that stuff up," Rose added. "But he's improving the economy and I support him imposing tariffs on China. I would probably vote for him again."

Pictured: Secaucus resident Dominick Rose outside the Harmon Cove polling station. Photo by Carly Baldwin/Patch