For Many Central Valley Voters, Trump’s Impeachment Just a 'Political Ploy'

On Tuesday, at Ana’s Place, a Mexican restaurant in the Central Valley town of Tulare, a group of farmers huddled around a large, round table in the corner, doing what they do every day: playing cards.

“This is what I think of the whole thing, in a nutshell,” said Paul Carreiro, a local cotton farmer. It was the day before the U.S. House of Representatives was to vote on a resolution to impeach President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. “The only thing Trump is guilty of is running for president and beating poor little Hillary. What they’re trying to do, they’re wasting time and they’re not going to ever get over losing to Trump.”

At the next table over, a group of men enjoyed beer and shrimp cocktail after a day’s work pruning grape vines. Piled up next to the door were stacks of a publication called My Job Depends on Ag.

“Honest to God,” Carreiro added, “everybody in this area right here, you’d find somebody hard-pressed to be against Trump.”

Central Valley voters have been among the most critical of the impeachment proceedings, according to a November statewide survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. The poll found that 67% of voters polled in the region disapproved of the way the Democrats in Congress have handled the impeachment inquiry into Trump.

Compare that to the San Francisco Bay Area, where only 37% of likely voters polled expressed disapproval, the poll found.

Most of the people interviewed for this story said they believe the impeachment process is not about whether Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into the Biden family — it's just an excuse to remove him from office. Some, though, said they were waiting to see how the process unfolded before passing judgement.

Augustín Alvarado, sitting at a table with members of his farm labor crew, said he didn't think President Trump should be impeached, but did think the president should go to trial to determine if he is guilty of an impeachable offense.

“It’s like any other U.S. citizen who breaks the law,” said Alvarado. “You have to face the justice system and say, why did you do it? Was it intentional, or an accident?"

Tulare is the hometown of Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee and one of President Trump’s staunchest supporters. During the impeachment inquiry, Nunes led the charge in aggressively questioning witnesses and criticizing how the media covered the hearings.

Zach Faria, a pest control adviser from nearby Visalia, said Nunes can sometimes be a little “radical” in his defense of the president. But he also believes the congressman does what he thinks is best for the region.

“I feel like he aligns with what represents the Central Valley,” Faria said. “I think sometimes he puts his neck out there a little too much, but he’s doing it for his constituents.”

In 2016, 52% of voters in Tulare County cast ballots for Donald Trump, with just 42% supporting Hillary Clinton.

“Nobody else was helping the Central Valley before, in the last eight years, or anybody before that really, on the left [Democratic] side,” he added. “He knows that we’re here. Everybody else kind of forgot about the Central Valley, it seemed like.”

Faria thinks Trump didn’t do anything all that different from what scores of other politicians have done — he just got caught.

“I think it’s a big political ploy,” he said. “It’s a circus.”

Dairyman Nelson Brasil, also from Visalia, said he has grown tired of the barrage of impeachment news coverage and thinks Democrats would be better off using their energy to defeat Trump next year at the ballot.

“[Trump] only has a year, or less than a year,” Brasil said. “If you really don’t like the guy, then why don’t you focus on [the candidates] now for the Democratic primary? Focus on that. Get a plan together to get your votes you need to win.”

Faria’s grandfather, Dan Faria, who was sitting with the two young men, also weighed in.

“He's done a lot of stupid things, I think. But it was because he’s got a lot of poor advisers in my opinion,” the elder Faria said. “He’s not no worse off than the past presidents.”

Downtown, at Tulare Pawn and Jewelry, truck driver Angel Quiñones browsed used power tools and musical instruments while eating pieces of mango and strawberry covered with tajin, a Mexican seasoning.

“I have a lot of disagreements, not only because, you know, I’m Mexican American,” said Quiñones. “I’ve noticed that [Trump’s] done some good things. But in regards to the impeachment, I try to stay neutral.”

Quiñones said impeachment is a touchy subject around where he lives.

“A lot of these blue-collar workers, they support Trump. I’m a blue-collar worker, but … you know, I’m right in the middle,” he said.

Across the street, retired Tulare County employee John Roller, who voted for Trump in 2016, was getting a haircut at Ernie’s Barber Shop.

“The longer it gets carried on, the more it divides the country. I’m not going to say I would do everything exactly the way he did, but no, I don’t think he’s done anything that’s impeachable,” said Roller, trying not to move his head. There’s many things that [Trump] does that I don’t like, but it’s more from a personal aspect than a policy aspect. Policywise, I’m very happy with what he’s done.”

When asked if he plans to vote for Trump again, Roller replied, “From what I’ve seen on the Democratic side, you’d better believe it. There’s not a Democrat out there that I think’s worth a darn.”