Even though he has lived in Chicago for years, Nicolas Côté claims to have never met a single admirer of Donald Trump in the streets of what is nicknamed the “Windy City”.
Apart from a friend who describes himself as independent, everyone the man from Quebec meets on a daily basis takes the side of the Democrats.
“In my neighborhood, we see a few Harris-Walz signs, but no Trump-Vance […] There is a part of the Democratic Party establishment that is here in Chicago. [L’ancien président] Barack Obama is from here. It's part of the city's DNA. Even our municipal candidates are Democrats,” says Nicolas Côté.
A unique climate in “Chicagoland”
Father of two children, Nicolas Côté has lived in Chicago since 2008. He moved there with his wife for professional reasons.
The climate of “Chicagoland,” as the metropolis and its suburbs are called, stands out from the rest of Illinois, which is sometimes more Republican, assures the graphic design professor.
COURTESY Nicolas Côté
“Chicago is unique. In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton won more than 80% of the votes in this city. It’s almost taken for granted that people here vote on the Democratic side,” says Mr. Côté.
Hold your breath
Mr. Côté, like many of his friends and colleagues, is holding his breath over the outcome of the presidential vote. Although he seeks to avoid uprooting his family, a return to Quebec is not excluded if the political climate deteriorates.
“If Trump wins, we will see how it will affect our daily lives. We have a really good Democratic governor and the federal government generally has little direct impact on our lives. For example (…) abortion is still completely legal here. But we will have to see how things could go under Trump.”
Expatriate in election
- Nicolas Cote
- 48 ans
- Lives in Chicago
- Professor of graphic design at Columbia College Chicago
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