WAUKESHA, Wis. — Ben White and Shielah Andersen have lived next door to each other for more than a decade.
White, a longtime Trump supporter and Andersen, a Harris supporter, do not keep their respective political beliefs a secret.
“I put up a flag or two and then she would put up a flag or two,” White said. “Then I would do a little more; then she would do a little more.”
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That back-and-forth grew into a friendly competition. So much so, that White now has a large inflatable orange-haired clown on his side of the lawn and Andersen has a life-sized witch on hers.
“He could have gone with skeleton or something like that, but when you got crazy orange clown, you gotta follow up with Kamala witch,” Andersen said. “Because according to the right, the only reason she won the debate was because she used witchcraft, so I’m like let’s lean into that strong wise woman.”
Andersen pointed to White’s lawn where the orange-haired clown swayed in the wind.
“She shoots her truth bolts over here, hopefully taking out the creepy orange clown," she said about her witch decor.
Many would think these two be constantly bickering, but despite their political differences, they get along just fine.
“My opinion is my opinion,” White said. “Her opinion hers, and everybody else’s opinion is theirs, too. Everybody has a right to express it, and they should do it in a calm manner to where it’s not offensive to other people.”
Andersen was quick to defend her neighbor’s political display, too.
“His little, tiny flag over there flew away, and I saw it in the street. So, I went over and grabbed it and put it back in there,” Andersen said. “If I see something knocked off, I’ll pick it back up. It’s just being friendly.”
In today’s polarized political climate, such civility between neighbors may seem rare, but for White and Andersen, it’s simple.
“The Halloween is for the kids, the voting is for the adults,” White said of his yard full of political signs and Halloween decor. “I just do it to have fun."