Maricopa Voters Are Not Interested In A Trump v. Biden Rematch

The 2020 presidential election was the first time in 24 years that a Democratic presidential candidate won the state of Arizona, flipping what used to be a Republican stronghold into a key battleground state. Now, in 2021 it has been a full year since Arizonans casted their ballots, but the talks about the 2024 election is dominating many neighborhoods. For some Maricopa residents like Michele McGrady, who lives in Chandler and who describes herself as a moderate conservative, talk that there could be a rematch between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump is not something she looks forward to.

McGrady said, “Honestly, I don’t think either one of them can do anything. Maybe things can change in the next couple of years. But, I doubt it.” McGrady emphasized that she is tired of having to pick between the “two evils.” “I think they need to get rid of both parties. They need to just find the best candidate and get rid of party lines. Because nothing is going to get fixed, especially since both sides hate each other.” McGrady also voiced her frustrations with Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ) who recently tweeted out an anime depicting himself killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and attacking Joe Biden. “I really wish an independent would be a strong enough candidate to win an election.” Where she thinks someone like former presidential candidate Andrew Yang (I) would be a great fit for the presidency. She believes Yang offers something new and exciting and is young enough to be considered a fresh face to the political landscape. McGrady said that an independent running would be the perfect candidate for her for president because they would be able to shake up both parties.

Daniel Brown, a Chandler resident, self described as a moderate liberal, said that he only voted for Biden to get Trump out of the White House. “My stances on Trump have not changed, I believe he brought a significant amount of hate to light and that is something I could never support. In the 2020 election I did vote for Joe Biden simply because I wanted Trump to get out of politics as his requirements alone proved he should never held the position in the first place.”
Brown said he also supports Biden’s policies like seeking to raise the minimum wage, refugee caps, revoking the Trump administration’s policy of separating families at the border and gender inclusivity. But Brown says, “In order to earn my vote, hopefully will not be the lesser of two evils situation, I want a candidate who has genuine concerns for the people...Many of our candidates are so incredibly out of touch with the modern world it puts the working class at a disadvantage.”

Nicole James, who lives in Tempe, self described as having no political leanings, finds Former President Trump put American’s in a negative path with a lot falling onto Pres. Biden’s lap. While she voted for Pres. Biden in 2020 she does not believe he should run for re-election. Instead, voicing her optimism for Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the presidency, “Honestly, I do not believe Biden should run for presidency for re-election due to his age. His VP Kamala will step up and run. She’ll be able to make more happen.” James feels we are still picking up the pieces after the Trump era and wants to go back to a time where America felt like the strongest country in the world.