PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) – Make no mistake, according to sociologist and professor Dr. Randall Blazak, the greater Portland area, known as a liberal hub, has political commonalities with the rest of the country.

“I think Portland is sort of a microcosm of the country, in the sense that a lot of change is happening and people are unsettled by change. We’re kind of nostalgic for the past, when change can be a little scary,” Blazak said.

Blazak says it’s partly due to the election of Keith Wilson as the next mayor of Portland.

“Wilson is not Trump, you know, socially in terms of his relationships with the local community. The fact that he actually worked in the community and pitched in, but the feeling of supporting a Wilson is the feeling of supporting someone in the private sector, because the private sector the civil service is too large and too inclusive and tries to make too many people happy. And I think that’s where the parallel with Trump is,” Blazak said.

When it comes to President-elect Donald Trump, Blazak says there are concerns about the particularly blue Greater Portland area.

What’s true nationally, he said, is this: “The main thing we have is this polarity where we don’t talk to each other and we argue on social media,” said Blazak. “We actually have a lot more in common, and once we get past the emotion, you know, panicked by the fact that a lot of people are here right now, the goal will be to bring people back to the table .”

Here is Blazak’s prediction for the near future: “There are going to be a lot of uncomfortable Thanksgivings this month. »