Janet Schisser gave a fist bump and exclaimed “Yes!” on the Huntington Beach Pier on Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Annette Eliot thought, “Game on.”
As news ricocheted around the country — and throughout Orange County — that former President Donald Trump had been found guilty of falsifying business records in an attempt to influence the 2016 election, supporters and critics of the former president had immediate and visceral reactions. Those conflicting responses around Orange County underscore how politically purple the region has become in recent years and just how contentious elections are.
Eliot, president of the Huntington Harbour Republican Women Federated, is convinced the verdict will only galvanize Southern California voters in supporting Trump come November.
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“The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people,” Trump said in Manhattan after the guilty verdict was handed down. And Eliot agrees.
“I think everyone is going to know that they’re trying to rig everything they can against this election,” she said. “I’m voting for a felon on Nov. 5, 2024. I’m proud to be casting my vote for President Donald Trump.”
But Schisser, who was waiting to meet up with family at the pier Thursday afternoon when she heard the news, favored the verdict.
“I think it’s about time that somebody that does business the way he does gets what he deserves,” Schisser said of Trump. “I’m glad they did it legally and let the process work.”
Fullerton resident Eugene Hung, a Republican turned no party preference voter, said he’s “elated somebody made a decision against Trump with some consequences that he can’t easily wriggle out of.”
“Somebody finally decided, ‘Hey, breaking the law is not cool,’” said Hung. “He’ll appeal, and they could find grounds for that, so whether it sticks or not, who knows?”
“Ardent Trump supporters have an alternate reality,” he added. “It really bothers me that they’re going to continue to make excuses for him, like, ‘Well, he’s being persecuted just like we’re being persecuted.’ They will very likely continue to give him a pass no matter what he does.”
While she believes Thursday’s verdict will do little to deter Trump’s hardcore supporters, Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC, said it could have a modest influence on undecided voters. And while those voters may not be super important to Trump’s re-election odds in a deep blue state like California, they could impact down-ballot races across Southern California.
In Orange County specifically, multiple House races may determine which political party picks up the speaker’s gavel next year. The open 47th congressional district, for example, is considered to just “lean Democrat” by the Cook Political Report’s election analysis; CA-45, held by Republican Rep. Michelle Steel, is ranked “lean Republican. (Steel’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about Thursday’s verdict.)
“The bottom line is, the presidential race matters, coattails are real,” said Romero. “Anything that could hurt Trump or Biden could potentially have down-ballot impacts, including very much so, this verdict.”
Back in Huntington Beach, Dave Brown wasn’t surprised by the verdict. The 62-year-old said he hopes the ruling in the trial he dubbed a sham will be overturned on appeal.
“I appreciate (Trump’s) tenacity,” said Brown. “I appreciate his ability to stick up for the people. Hopefully, it comes through.”
Trump plans to head to Southern California next week for a pair of fundraisers, first in Beverly Hills on June 7 and then in Newport Beach the next day. A campaign spokesperson confirmed both fundraisers are still on.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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