American living in North Yorkshire tells us about fears over "divisive" election

It's as the US goes to the polls to elect either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 5th Nov 2024

As the polls open in the US, we're hearing from an American living here in North Yorkshire on the election that's "tearing families apart" .

Danielle Cooper is originally from Missouri but now lives in Church Fenton near Tadcaster.

"It's very divisive, I've seen friends who have outright lost contact with all family members, parents and children even, it is a real divide in the Country."

"I've just kind of distanced myself because they are going to do them and I'm going to be me, they can have their views but they are going to have to live with them."

Danielle has voted for Kamala Harris but says many people on her social media support Trump: "I think because he has been on TV and he has had guest spots on movies, and people in American don't really watch news outside, it's only your local news and what is happening inward and they feel like they know him."

Either result on election day will yield a historic outcome.

A Trump victory would make him the first incoming president to have been indicted and convicted of a felony, after his hush-money trial in New York.

He will gain the power to end other federal investigations pending against him. Mr Trump would also become the second president in history to win non-consecutive White House terms, after Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century.

Ms Harris is vying to become the first woman, first black woman and first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office, four years after she broke the same barriers in national office by becoming President Joe Biden's second-in-command.

The Vice President ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after Mr Biden's disastrous performance in a debate in June set in motion his withdrawal from the race.

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