KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
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Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump hope he’ll make changes to improve the economy and keep more money in the pockets of Americans after he takes office.
"The economy has to be strong before anything else can happen," said Gary Smedile, a committee member for the Clay County, Missouri, Republican Party. "Our financial position in the country as well as a state needs to be strong before other things can happen."
Jan Lowery, who voted for Trump, spoke with KSHB 41's Charlie Keegan on why he earned her vote.
"I just hope he’s able to maybe set the economy back on some sort of trajectory that helps families and individuals keep a little more of their own money and be able to make some purchases and buy groceries and things like that," Lowery said.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows one measure of inflation was at 2.4 percent in September, compared to a high under President Joe Biden of 9.1 percent in June 2022.
The same chart shows the lowest rate of inflation during Trump’s first term was 1.6 percent in June 2019.
Smedile also hopes Trump will lower gasoline prices by investing in policies to produce energy in the United States.
"We’re going to be not only energy-independent, we’re going to be energy-dominant," Smedile said. "That in turn will translate into a lot of good things for the economy."
He admitted Trump did not fulfill some promises of his first term. The border wall with Mexico is not complete. Trump did not repeal the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare.
Trump will once again have the Senate on his side: Republicans regained control of the chamber Tuesday. The balance within the House of Representatives remains too close to call.
Smedile believes Trump's experience from his first term will help him achieve goals on securing the border and foreign policy.
"Now the Republicans have to deliver, and I fully expect they will," Smedile said.
Social issues like diversity, equity and inclusion programs were also on the minds of voters.
Jeff Seever, a Trump supporter, hopes the president-elect puts an end to some of those initiatives.
"I want to get these DEI programs and I want to get the gender issues out of the schools," Seever said.
The next four years will show how the Trump presidency lives up to the expectations of his supporters.
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