Secret Vote, Secret Gloat: Trump Voters 'Undercover'

HOLLISTON, MA—Sitting in a local hair salon post-election, the chatter ripped steadily around the room. One hair stylist bantered to a customer about Donald Trump and the "secret vote."

"All the people at the jail and up at the hospitals, they went Trump," she told the customer. "Oh yeah, it's true. And they can't say anything. They can't admit it. They'll be shunned! What are ya gonna do, though, this whole state all goes liberal ... all goes Clinton."

In Holliston, 8,677 cast votes for president in the election, and of those, 2,547 filled in the dot for Trump and Pence.

While Clinton's supporters proudly proclaimed, "I'm with her," a large chunk of the Trump voters were "with him," but more like a friend who waited around the corner for a ride.

It's the secret vote the Clinton voters worried about, and many contend it was that very voting segment for Trump that blew every poll out of the water on Tuesday night, with America electing Trump to the top seat, and pundits admitting he had cut an "unusual political path" through the country.

As many Republicans bailed from the party publicly when Trump landed the nomination, others were stumped as to how his support continued to swell.

"There is also strong evidence that most traditional public opinion surveys inadvertently hide a segment of Trump’s supporters," wrote Thomas Edsall in the New York Timesin May. "Many voters are reluctant to admit to a live interviewer that they back a candidate who has adopted such divisive positions."

In August, Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway remarked in an interview that "undercover Trump voters" could pull a victory," reported Channel 4 UK. Conway told UK's Channel 4 that "the hidden Trump vote is a very significant proposition."

In exit interviews with Patch at polling places in Milford, Westborough and Worcester, MA, the lone person who said he voted for Trump refused to have his photo taken.

"The pollsters are perplexed this morning about how they were so wrong," wrote local resident Mark Gallant the day after the presidential election."Gee, Einsteins, could it be that Trump supporters would not admit to who they were voting for lest they risk 'tolerant' folks calling them vile names? No mystery to me."
The undercover voter effect proved to be true through to the election on Nov. 8.

And now, just as few are seemingly "admitting" their vote on social media, or to friends.
Matthew De Lorge, who grew up in Worcester and lives in Spencer, Massachusetts, is someone who isn't afraid to say he voted for Trump, and why. He wasn't a champion for Trump all along, initially rooting for Ben Carson, but is celebrating now. He wasn't among the secret vote and isn't among the secret gloat.

De Lorge's Facebook post on Tuesday evening:

8 years ago America voted in one of the worst Presidents to ever hold the office. 4 years later they used the excuse that Bush got 8 so why not him. He weakened our military, created trillions in debt, allowed terror to invade our homes, and ruined health care for many HARD WORKING AMERICANS who actually pay into the system and simply want their hard work to mean something.

All of this time I had to sit and deal with it. I didn't unfriend anyone, regardless of knowing how poor their choice was! All the while I knew the past 8 years mostly benefited those people looking for a handout, and those wanting to take advantage of our laws.It's OVER! And to the politically correct people who have turned this county into a weak cesspool for racism and class warfare to be at an all time high since I was a kid, your time is OVER!!!

I made a choice today, that in my opinion, is the best choice for myself and my family, the same as you did. Instead of calling people names (as my 60+ yr. old guidance counselor has recently) and whine like babies, why don't you respect the fact that all we are doing by making this choice, is simply doing whats best for us and our families. That, or maybe just deal with it seeing we just had 8 horrible years dealing with your change, and now it's time to deal with ours!

I am so happy, not so much that Trump won, but that crooked Hillary lost, and all those policies Obama passed that hurt me and this country may soon be going bye bye! And to think, we can blame Obama for anything Trump does and ask for 8 years too right? LOL With that said, GO President DONALD TRUMP!!!!!

Though he wasn't a big "Trump guy" in the primaries, he said he chose Trump because of three issues most important to him: immigration, foreign policy and the biggest, health care.

"I do think some are afraid," he told Patch. "When I tell people I support Trump, even though I'm not thrilled with him as a person, I feel people assume regardless that I'm for everything he stands for, according to that person. I feel people think I'm a bigot, sexist, and promote the 'dominant white make profile,' which is the farthest from the truth."

De Lorge explains that he looked at the only two viable candidates, and simply chose the one who had policies that helped his family more than the other's.

"I think Obama has created a race and class warfare and has done the exact opposite of what he promised eight years ago," said De Lorge. "He pulled this country further apart, not pulled it together."

Did you "secretly" vote for Trump and want to "come out" now? Let us know if you voted for him, and why. If you remained silent, why? Share in the comments section below.

--City News Service, photo courtesy of Trump for President