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LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
EAST PASCO EDITION
NOVEMBER 16, 2016
A TIME TO REFLECT
At Precinct 70, a long line forms and is reflected in a puddle of water left behind by the irrigation system early Tuesday morning. FRED BELLET/PHOTO
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Get all your favorite Election results defy Election Day local news stories pollsters and pundits brings out voter online. Donald J. Trump ELECTION passions is next president
By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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asco County voters joined the nation in selecting Donald J. Trump as the United States’ next president in the 2016 general election, while a majority of Hillsborough County voters selected Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had sought to become America’s first female president. Scores of voters took advantage of early voting, but hordes turned out on Nov. 8, eager to cast their ballot on Election Day. They offered different points of view — in an election widely characterized as being historic, and divisive. At the Alice Hall Community Center in Zephyrhills, 57-year-old voter Chris Corporra said he voted for Trump because he’s a political outsider. Corporra said he agrees with many of Trump’s stances. “You hire a politician, and you get political results.You get somebody on the outside, and they’ll take care of it,” Corporra said. “Trump isn’t the most polished...but, you know exactly where you stand with him.”
HOLLIDAY KARATINOS
2016
As Corporra drove around Zephyrhills before Election Day, he said he noticed long lines at several early voting locations.“They were out in droves. The silent majority is coming out in force.” Kody Roberts, a registered Republican, also voted in Zephyrhills. She supported Jill Stein. “I like what she stands for; I like her objectives,” the 22-year-old Roberts said.“I can’t agree with some of Trump’s beliefs, and I definitely cannot agree with some of Hillary’s, so I was just like,‘You know what, I’m going to go third-party this time.’” Zephyrhills resident Eric Pinson favored Trump mainly because of his platform to establish immigration controls. Pinson also expressed concern about what could happen to his Second Amendment rights, under a Clinton administration. Meanwhile, at The Groves, Land O’ Lakes resident Jill Shelton stood in a long line to cast her vote. She brought her children, See ELECTION, page 13A
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews
The line of voters stretched down the sidewalk at The Groves in Land O’ Lakes, as people waited patiently for the doors to open at 7 a.m. Even after voting began, the line continued to swell. Long lines also formed at Lexington Oaks, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard. By 9 a.m., the line in Lexington Oaks was gone, replaced by a late morning trickle of people coming and going. Wesley Chapel resident Dashawn Williams, who voted at Lexington Oaks, said lines during early voting had been much longer. On Nov. 8, he said he was done in about 5 minutes.“It was easy,” he said. Meanwhile, at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, off Collier Parkway, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis stopped by in his tour bus. He began his rounds in Dade City and planned to make 19 stops. “It’s a good opportunity to thank the volunteers,” Bilirakis said. Here’s a synopsis of what some voters had to say on Election Day 2016.
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COURTESY OF SUSAN A. MACMANUS
Dr. Susan A. MacManus is standing in front of a bus parked at the first 2016 presidential debate. The bus is touting CNN’s coverage of the 2016 race for president between Donald J. Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
By Dr. Susan A. MacManus
INSIDE, PAGE 1B
This was an election like no other. Once again, the Sunshine State was at the epicenter of it all. For months on end, Florida was the center of attention in the national and international media, with its 29 Electoral College votes up for grabs — the largest number of any swing state. The candidates visited here over and over. During the last 100 days of the cam-
SHERRI MAGED, LAND O’ LAKES
paign,Trump visited Florida 100 times and Clinton 87 times. Each made multiple stops here the final week before the election. Other states never saw either of them. More than $49 million was spent on TV ads run in the Orlando and Tampa media markets — more than in any other media market in the nation. But, by the time it finally ended, Floridians were just happy it was over.The
Sherri Maged said she came out to vote at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center to fulfill her civic duty. She voted for Donald J. Trump, but wasn’t enthused about Trump or Hillary Rodham Clinton. “This was very difficult. I don’t like either one of them,” Maged said, adding she has never felt as conflicted about an election as she did this year.
See FLORIDA, page 13A
More voter reactions, page 13A
As Florida goes, so goes the nation…again! Special to The Laker/Lutz News
Jamie Levitt, 34, of Land O’ Lakes, said she voted for Hillary Rodham Clinton. “I feel like they both have a lot of issues,” she said, a sentiment she believes was shared by most voters. Still, she thought Clinton was the superior candidate. “We all have to kind of decide who we think would do best for the country, even though the choices are not spectacular,” said Nevitt, who gave her dad a ride to the Lutz Community Center on Election Day, so he could vote.