A political debate is erupting at a farmers market in Henderson, Nevada, about 10 miles southeast of the lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
Orlando Nurilo, a 33-year-old bakery stall owner, said he was done with Biden, and was joined by other stall owners in his neighborhood, many of whom agreed.
“I'll probably have to leave the country. I don't want that guy to have anything else going for him,” Nurilo said.
Those who are disgusted by Nurilo and Biden are exactly the type of voters former President Donald Trump is hoping to appeal to when he visits a Las Vegas park on Sunday as part of a Western tour that also includes a town hall in Phoenix and several fundraising stops. Las Vegas is Trump's first rally since his historic felony conviction.
Biden won Nevada in a close race in 2020 and the state is expected to be a key battleground again this year, with Republicans seeing plenty of opportunities among different groups in the state.
Voters are pushing back against both Democrats and Republicans, and the anger is palpable: Both camps are angry about housing, the economy and immigration, but they have very different ideas about who should be held accountable.
For Trump supporters like Siani Santana, this is entirely Biden's fault.
“I'm 23 and I don't think I can afford to move into my own apartment anytime soon, let alone my own house,” she told NPR.
Santana launched her skin care business just before the pandemic, but she didn't qualify for a business relief loan and, like many people her age, says homeownership is a pipe dream.
She also is frustrated that her family's community in her home state of Hawaii did not receive enough aid from the federal government after devastating fires on Maui last year, which she compares to billions of dollars in aid that other countries such as Israel have received from the United States.
“Many of our families lost their homes and were never allowed to return, and many were forced to evacuate,” she said.
So even though she doesn't like everything about Trump, she thinks she would vote for him again.
“It's about our economy and our economic future, not about what he said or what he said,” she said.
Among the produce and artisanal goods were conspiracy theories from many voters, including Santana, fueled by their anger and confusion over decisions made by the country's leaders.
“I feel like COVID-19 was a cover for all of that. They were thinking, 'What can we do to manipulate people into making a change, how can we get everyone to stay home?'” she said.
A few feet away, customer Shaq Kasper-Shackelford was perplexed by the people who voted for Trump, for whom she said she would never vote.
“No, no, absolutely not. Zero out of 10,” she said.
Caspar Shackelford, a 23-year-old technician at Allegiant Stadium, is facing the same housing challenges as Santana. She also lives with her parents.
But she says she is still leaning toward Biden, even though many of her relatives support Trump.
“A lot of people in my family love him,” she said.
Caspar Shackelford, who said he voted for Biden in the last election and generally wants a candidate more to the left, said he is most concerned about the U.S. getting drawn into a new international war.
She is also concerned about the economy, social issues and immigration.
She admits she's not all that impressed with Biden and would like to see more from him.
“I think he's definitely done a decent job over the last four years,” she said, “but it just doesn't feel like it's enough. I haven't heard much about what he's actually accomplished or what his policies are, and I would have preferred someone a little more to the left, but if that's what we have now, that's what it is, you know?”
Housing issues spark anger
About 30 miles away, at an early voting place in northwest Las Vegas, Keri Cervantes was trying to promote her favorite local candidate.
Cervantes, a fifth-generation Las Vegas native, said three of his four adult sons moved back home because they couldn't find affordable housing. Cervantes, who is retired, says it's a sign of a weak economy and blames Biden.
“You're seeing more and more of your neighbors move in with their kids,” said Cervantes of the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex, “and they can't afford to buy a home, and they're never going to be able to afford to buy a home the way it is.”
Her son, Sean, who worked as a physical therapist, agreed.
“It keeps me up at night not knowing how to protect my family, how to take care of my family. It's hard. And I think that's one of the biggest issues facing my generation.”
Sean Cervantes and his mother both voted for Trump in the last election.
As he begins to talk about the 2020 voting machines and how the technology can't be trusted, conspiracy theories resurface.
Sean says he is very disappointed with the entire election process and may not vote this year.
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