Election night at the Williamston Roadhouse is a relaxing sight for people looking to wind down in the company of their peers, said Sammual L. Hitchcock, 30, a Leroy Township farmer. The Trump supporting-patrons are in high spirits on Tuesday night as they watch the presidential election coverage on Fox News. The restaurant is decorated in Trump-Pence 2020 banners and signs.
Patrons
Watching the election coverage at the Williamston Roadhouse is a great place because the bar is located only a mile and a half from his house, said Hitchcock. “There’s great people here, we all get along, [and] we’re all hard-working people,” he said. “This is kind of where the workers go after work.”
“Obviously, they have the coverage every year of the election,” said Hitchcock. “You know this is my people down here so I know I’m in good company, and this is where I like to be … we’re pretty much all Republicans.”
A landscaper, Donavin Vonhatten, 21, who was at the bar on Tuesday night watching the election said in a text: “It is a sound place to have a productive conversation. If there is a disagreement it is usually resolved by finding common ground and being open-minded to different thought processes.”
Staff recommendations
“Most people down here are Trump supporters, so it’s a good place to come and watch it without having any kind of arguments, which tend to run rampant for this election,” said Patrice Drainville, 37, who was at the bar on election night. Drainville is the property manager for Simmons Properties, which includes the Williamston Roadhouse. “People either agree or totally disagree.”
Adding to the comfortable environment for Trump supporters, Drainville said the Williamston Roadhouse hosted previous events including viewing parties for the presidential debates and allowed the Trump campaign to hand out Trump swag.
Drainville said due to coronavirus the Roadhouse closed down much of the activities for safety concerns. The bar is allowing a maximum capacity of 30 patrons. Regularly, the bar can seat 80 individuals.
Supporting Trump
“The Trump administration has done a lot for small businesses,” said Drainville. “I think that when Trump says he’s going to do something he gets it done. If you look at his record he’s accomplished quite a bit in the four years he’s been in office.”
“He’s a great businessman, and he’s shown that it takes a businessman mentality to run a country,” said Drainville.
Drainville said Trump continues to fight for the best interest of the American people.
Hitchcock said tariffs Trump placed on Chinese goods hurt a lot of farmers, but he helped farmers owning small businesses by creating subsidies. Hitchcock is referring to Trump placing $50 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018 that harmed American farmers.