Massachusetts is often considered a decidedly blue state.

But conservative communities can be found even in the most progressive states. And in the Bay State, the South Coast town of Acushnet is one of them.

In this predominantly white town of approximately 10,600 residentsformer President Donald Trump defeated President Joe Biden 54.7% to 43.7% in the 2020 election, according to WBUR.

When interviewing voters during Tuesday’s polls, only two supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, agreed to speak to MassLive.

And one of them was visiting from nearby Westport — a town Biden narrowly won in 2020 — to campaign on behalf of a local Democrat.

Harris’ other supporter was Lynn Cruz, a 69-year-old Acushnet resident who said what brought her to the polls was the possibility of a black woman becoming president.

“I think (Harris) has good policies and I believe in his policies. I think it’s for everyone. She has something for everyone,” Cruz said, before ending the interview to get into her husband’s car, which had just stopped.

Why Acushnet supports Trump

The majority of Acushnet residents surveyed by MassLive said they were excited to vote for Trump because they felt their lives had improved during his last term.

Many also said they had felt economically insecure during Biden’s term and that Harris and the rest of the Biden administration had been ineffective at best.

“For me, (Trump) proved himself when he was in power four years ago,” said Susana Souza, 43. “And until we see what she can do, to me it hasn’t been proven that she can help us.”

Many said that after this latest round of high inflation, they could no longer afford to go on vacation without breaking the bank.

“Everything is so high, through the roof,” said Richard Meack, 39. “Gas, oil, I mean, you name it. Food…”

“Our salaries went up, but then that was reinvested in things like gas, our mortgage and our taxes,” said his fiancée, Ashley Reynolds, 40.

Immigration was another big concern for these voters.

Many said they believe too much tax revenue is being spent to support migrants and that the government should spend that money to help struggling Americans.

“I think the United States is flooded with people and we’re really struggling to house and take care of those who are already citizens,” said Darlene Boutin, 49.

Many have also cited Americans’ economic woes as the reason they oppose sending aid to countries like Ukraine — something Biden has remained committed to.

“Our money should be there for us,” said Melissa Cabral, 42. “America should come first, and (Trump) thinks of America first.”

Cabral’s pink “Women for Trump” banner stood out among the many red, white and blue candidate signs that lined the entrance to a local elementary school Tuesday.

She said she chose the sign to show support for the former president’s position that abortion rights should be left to the states.

Some of Acushnet’s Trump voters, like Avery Achadinha, 20, who voted for the first time, expressed concern that Harris would restrict gun rights.

During Harris’ campaign in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, she supported the mandatory buyback of assault weapons. She has since changed her position on this issue, but it is clear that voters have not forgotten her previous position.

“She wants to take our weapons. I’m sorry, that’s not happening,” said Mary Boulay, 59.

The ballot questions voters are most passionate about

Party politics was not a priority for voters when it came to this year’s election issues.

Many said they strongly support passing Question 2, which would eliminate passing MCAS exams as a high school graduation requirement.

These voters said they believe standardized tests do not accurately assess how much a student has learned or how smart they are.

Boutin said she worries that MCAS exams will force teachers to teach to the tests, which takes away the fun and passion of learning.

Cabral said she thinks MCAS exams have their place, but she doesn’t support them being used as a graduation requirement.

“I have six children… If they struggle a little and don’t do well in exams, I think they still have the right – after spending 12 years at school – to graduate ” she said.

Sousa, who works as an administrative assistant at a local school, said her biggest motivation for voting Tuesday was to have a say on ballot issues such as Question 2.

“I know how difficult it is with the students and how stressed they are sending them to the nurse because they are so nervous. They vomit,” she said. “…Kids shouldn’t have to go through this much stress to graduate. »

Acushnet voters also felt strongly about Question 5, which would gradually increase the minimum wage for restaurant workers up to the state’s regular minimum wage.

Many feared that popular local restaurants would be forced to close their doors if they had to pay their staff more.

Others said they support friends and family who work in restaurants and are worried about losing income due to tips or not being paid for their extra work.

These voters also did not appear to toe the party line on election integrity.

Although they believe some voter fraud may have occurred in 2020, it is not clear that it affected the outcome of the election, they said.

If Harris is declared the winner this year, they will fear for the future of their country, they said. Even so, they would eventually accept the outcome and hope for the best.

“I hope (Harris) can embody all of us as people and we can all work together as well. I don’t think he’s a bad person,” Boutin said. “…Would I love to see the first black woman president? Yeah, that would be bad***. Do I think she’s the best candidate for this? No.”