Standing Alone for Trump

Between the television ads, the media coverage, even Saturday Night Live, it's been near impossible to escape the 2016 presidential election.

But on Election Day, Matthew Langille found a quiet spot, virtually free of politics. Langille stood outside the Reading Memorial High School Field House, the voting site for the town's more than 18,000 registered voters. Wearing a "Make America Great" hat, along with a Trump scarf, button, and coat, Langille had only a lone police officer to keep him company. No Clinton supporters, no third-party supporters, and the only sign of the state's four ballot questions were the "No on 2" signs lying on the ground behind him. Apparently those people were at lunch.

Langille was a few steps from the school he graduated from in 2013. After graduation he attended Our Lady 0f Providence Seminary, before taking time off to work at H&R Block. Then he signed on with the Army National Guard, before enrolling at North Shore Community College. And in what he hopes is his final stop, Langille is now a sophomore marketing major at Salem State.

His road to a college degree may be long, but the walk to RMHS to hold a sign in support of Trump wasn't. His time back on school grounds wasn't a one-time political statement. When Trump was reading Bill Belichick's letter of support in Manchester NH Monday night, Langille was in the audience.

But don't think of Langille as a from-the-start supporter of Trump. And, like many these days, he certainly doesn't like how we elect our presidents.

"I think it was way more chaotic than it should have been. There was less about policy and more about people's past and I don't think we should be dwelling on the past of people," said Langille. "We should know what they did, but in reality we need to look to the future and what they can do, instead of what they did. That said, I think a lot of things came to light that should have come to light way sooner."

How do we improve this?

"I think we should have more options. A lot of people are thinking that now. And yes, you can say we have Jill Stein and Gary Johnson but I'm talking viable candidates and viable parties, instead of Democrats and Republicans. Going back in our nation's history we had the Whigs, we had the Tories way back when. We had the Bull Moose Party under Roosevelt. And the Dixiecrat Party under Wallace. We've had options in the past and I think we should have more options in the future. It shouldn't be down to these two candidates. Donald Trump was not my first candidate. Jeb Bush was my first candidate. I really regret the nomination of Donald Trump but I'm rallying behind him now because the alternative is way too frightening for me."

If Trump loses, Langille has a more mature outlook than many in the country.

"I'm perfectly prepared for that and I just hope everybody keeps a cool head and respects the choice of the people. That's the most important thing, that we rally behind whoever is elected as a nation, as Americans."

But if Trump wins.

"I hope the other side keeps a cool head. Obviously I'd be extremely happy because finally we'll have something different than the status quo. I think that it's important that we get somebody else elected who is an outsider, who isn't part of the establishment and who can offer a fresh insight on things."

There may have been other opinions outside RMHS on voting day. But the spotlight belonged to Langille.

Photo by Bob Holmes