MONROE, Maine — On the back roads and front yards of Waldo County farm country, the campaigns crop sprouted weeks ago.
Most prominently, signs for Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and in Maine’s sprawling Second Congressional District, of which Waldo County is part, those signs may be more important than ever. That’s because the Second District, known to politicians and reporters as CD2, could become a key to choosing the next president.
Maine splits two of its four Electoral College votes by Congressional district. Four years ago, Donald Trump lost the statewide race and the CD1 contest, but won the Second District, and earned one electoral vote.
This year, with the Trump campaign scrambling for every electoral vote, they have been pushing hard for a repeat win in CD2.
Waldo County is in CD2, but on the edge of Maine’s true “Trump Country." The county voted narrowly in favor of Hillary Clinton in 2016, with a margin of fewer than 100 votes.
In the small town of Monroe, it was even closer. There was just one vote separating Clinton and Trump in 2016.
Jacki Robbins admits she was surprised to see it that close. Robbins says she’s lived in Monroe for years and considers it a more liberal community, but adds that a number of new residents have moved in over the past 15 years so that local politics may be shifting.
“I like Biden,” Robbins said and made it clear she doesn’t like President Trump.
“I don’t believe who we have now is an honorable man and that’s important to me. The Republican Party, some of their platform I can agree with but I can’t agree with somebody as divisive and immoral as he is.”
There are also plenty of Trump supporters in the town, and Waldo County GOP chair JoAn Petersen said they are more than eager for Election Day.
“Our Republicans are so excited,” Petersen said. And said she, and they, are enthusiastic about Trump.
“He’s a man who will stand up for our freedoms and wants everyone in our country to have opportunities. And he’s willing to work for every man. We’ve never had such positive results in the president.”
Both predict the Waldo County vote will be close—possibly very close-- on Tuesday. As for the overall vote in CD 2, it's also expected to be close. The Secretary of State says that if neither candidate gets a majority on the initial count, ranked choice voting will be used to determine whether Trump or Biden wins that potentially critical electoral vote.