Brighton Beach elects a president: for whom will the “Russian” district of New York vote

Residents of the legendary district always show high selective activity. Photo: Denis Malinin

A little less than a week is left before the presidential elections. November 8 residents of America learn the name of the new head of the White House. On the eve it became known that the candidate for the presidency of the United States from the Republican Party, Donald Trump for the first time got ahead Democrats Hillary Clinton’s nomination is based on voter sympathies. According to the survey, 46% voters are ready to vote for Trump, 45% for Clinton.

The most famous Russian-speaking region of the United States is also preparing for the decisive day. Brighton Beach. It is also called “Little Odessa”. ForumDaily tried to find out who local residents are going to vote for and why they are confident in their choice.

Husband and wife are not the only Satan

Alexander and Irina Viner have been together for 27 years. They immigrated to New York from the Ukrainian city of Vinnitsa in 90. Over such a long family life, they quarreled and separated more than once. But for the cause of disagreement to be the US presidential election, this has never happened in the Wiener family. Alexander worked for more than 15 years at an American refrigerator manufacturing company, and all this time he was afraid of losing his job.

Today Alex - as he likes to call himself - chooses Donald Trump. One reason is that the Republican candidate promises to increase the number of jobs.

“I know about the problems in the labor market. There must be change. What has America come to? She fell hard. Only Trump will help,” the voter is sure.

Irina and her husband categorically disagree. She doesn't trust Donald Trump at all. A resident of Brighton Beach believes that Hillary Clinton's main trump cards are political experience and work in the educational field with children.

The Wiener family gather all night to wait for the results of the voting. Photo: Denis Malinin

“Trump has never been a politician and never will be. And she is for women and children. She will provide medicine and housing. Her husband will help her in this. And America has never had a female president, and she will win,” insists Irina.

In a dispute with his wife, Alexander recalls about Vladimir Putin. Trump has repeatedly declared his sympathy to the Russian president. True, he could later exchange your opinion.

“This man – I’m talking about Putin – has global authority. If we had someone like Putin here, America could change for the better. And now it’s anarchy,” reflects Alexander Viner.

Spouses Wiener look forward to election day. After fulfilling the civic duty of 8 November, they are going to spend the whole night at the TV screen and wait for the moment when the Americans find out the name of the new head of the White House.

“My youngest son said Hillary Clinton would be there. And the eldest son is for Trump. Everyone has their own opinion. Some people like fish, and some people like meat. America is a free country,” Irina sums up the dispute.

Brighton Beach Debate

Residents of Brighton Beach love to talk and argue about political topics. The main discussion platform here was the local embankment on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Dozens of people come here every day to share the latest news about US presidential candidates. All participants in the impromptu outdoor debate are from the former Soviet Union.

At Brighton Beach, retirees talk about politics every day. Photo: Denis Malinin

Anna Leymakh, for example, believes that if Hillary Clinton becomes the next president, relations between Russia and the United States will worsen dramatically. She herself immigrated to America back in 90. But her daughter Julia decided to stay in Moscow, where she still lives.

“I don’t want to lose contact with Russia because of my daughter. Trump speaks well about Putin, so I'm for Trump. This is my only argument. They say that he was already in Moscow. I’ve already made friends with someone,” the woman shares the latest rumors.

Anna Leymah often comes to talk with retirees on Brighton Beach. Photo: Denis Malinin

In America, Anna has been caring for elderly people for more than 20 years. Now she is retired. He receives about $1000 a month from the state. Leymakh still rents the apartment. However, he says he has enough money to live on. And if Trump loses, she won’t be too upset. Because I’m used to relying on myself.

“There is such a joke. A boat is sinking in the open ocean... Trump and Clinton are sitting in it. And who do you think will survive? Someone answers - Trump! No, America will survive... when they both drown!” Anna laughed.

Her friend Claudia Spitzberg also casts her vote for Trump. The woman is dissatisfied with Barack Obama's sensational reform - Obamacare - which obliges all Americans to have health insurance. The fee for it increases every year and, for example, in New York, in 2017 the cost of insurance will increase on 16,6%. Trump proposes to completely cancel Obamacare.

“Now, in order to go to the doctor, I order transport 3 days in advance. Before, the doctor himself did it, everything was quick. Or, for example, I want to get my teeth fixed: before I could go to any dentist, but now I have to go to the one who accepts my insurance,” Spitsberg explains with displeasure.

On the waterfront of Brighton Beach, you can always meet immigrants. Photo: Denis Malinin

Here, on the Brighton Beach promenade, you can also meet supporters of the Democratic Party. Mostly these are representatives of the younger generation. Diana Tsaturova is 32 years old. She came to the USA with her family from Tbilisi when she was 10 years old. I became a history teacher here. She calls the current election campaign a brilliant show. Diana is confident that Hillary Clinton will win this exciting game.

“I will vote for Clinton. Not because she is a woman. No. She has political experience. It is very important. Well, why would I choose a funny candidate who looks like Zhirinovsky?” Diana, smiling, explains her choice.

Diana Tsaturova gives her vote for Hillary Clinton. Photos from the personal archive

A Brooklyn resident admits that she likes some of Donald Trump's statements. However, she believes that the shocking candidate is cunning, and is unlikely to fulfill her promises after the victory. First, Diana supported Bernie Sanders and his idea about free education. But as soon as he left the election race, the girl moved to Hillary Clinton’s camp.

Diana gives a concrete example. Now, by law, mothers are given only 3-month paid maternity leave. And Clinton wants at times to increase it.

“I feel like Clinton will win. It’s as if Trump and Clinton were deliberately installed. It looks like a game. Now it’s interesting not who will be the president of the United States, but who will win this game,” she said.

Local campaigning, or “Vote or you’ll lose”

There are residents of Brighton Beach and those who still doubt their choice. Undecided voters educate representatives of the local community.

Among them is one of the leaders of the Russian-speaking community in Brooklyn, Malka Shahar. A candidate for the New York State Assembly, she has repeatedly met with those who have not yet decided who to vote for. And many listened to the opinion of Shahar, who fully supports Donald Trump.

“If you listen to him carefully - from beginning to end and do not take phrases out of context - then there is nothing to complain about. I cannot criticize him, I have no complaints against him. Everything he says resonates with me,” Malka Shahar campaigns for Russian-speaking voters.

Malka Shahar does not doubt the victory of Donald Trump. Photos from the personal archive

She came to America 12 years ago. In 2016, she became a US citizen. According to Malka, the administration of President Obama is saturated with corruption ties. The head of the White House and the candidate Hillary Clinton she calls the henchmen of the system.

“America is plagued by corruption. Even now some representatives of the Russian community say to me - an impostor! Who nominated you? Who appointed you? These are very alarming signs, if they think that someone is financing me, this is a fact of corruption,” says Shahar.

Opponents of Donald Trump have repeatedly pointed out Malka Shahar to rather sharp, even aggressive statements by the billionaire in relation to immigrants. In a programme "The First 100 Days of the Presidency" Trump proposes to deport 2 a million illegal immigrants right away.

“I support the fact that Trump wants to end this, because this is turning into very serious problems for the country. Today the southern borders are wide open. I see an epidemic of drug addiction, and drugs are delivered through Mexico,” the woman says.

About the negative attitude towards Hillary Clinton Shahar can talk for hours. In the last debate, the candidate of the Democratic Party accused the Kremlin in intervening in the US election process.

“What Clinton is doing and saying is a big hypocrisy and a big game. She makes us enemies. It artificially escalates the conflict between Russians and Americans. And we, Russian-speaking people living here, are also involved in this,” Malka Shahar is indignant.

Whether campaign meetings will help Malka Shahar attract new voters to her side is still unknown. But, as statistics show, Russian-speaking immigrants prefer Republican candidates. According to the publication USNews, in 2008, the Republican Party protege, John McCain, was voted around 70% of Brighton Beach residents and surrounding areas. However, in the end, Democrat Barack Obama won in the end.

Read also on ForumDaily:

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