STURGEON BAY, Wis. — In recent years Door County has become known as one of the bellwethers of presidential elections.
It’s something resident Matt Peter said brought some notoriety to the Wisconsin county.
“Up until the election, we were getting so much press and so much focus in the county as being the 60 Minutes piece, ‘The Swingiest County,’” Peter said. He is a barista at Pinky Promise Coffee in Sturgeon Bay. “I think that a bit of pride around here and created a little bit of an extra buzz.”
For the first time this century, the county’s predictive knack faltered. Kamala Harris edged out Donald Trump in Tuesday’s election by a margin of fewer than 500 votes in Door County.
“For the nation to go red, that was a big surprise,” Peter said. “Absolutely.”
The county had a history of predicting the winning presidential candidate back to 2000, with George W. Bush.
It drew both national and international interest heading into this election, possibly offering some insight into what voters could expect.
Ted Brauer was born in Sturgeon Bay and worked decades in the shipyard in the community of about 10,000 people. He has a neighbor with a differing political affiliation.
“I didn’t make a big deal about it and he didn’t make a big deal about it,” he said.
In the aftermath of the election, Brauer said communication can play a role in bringing people together.
“That way you get your opinion out. They can get their opinions out and we can all put them together,” he said.
Peter said at the heart of Sturgeon Bay and Door County is a sense of community that runs deeper than red and blue views.
“This county is very purple. Every single day you go out and you interact with someone whether they have the same political opinions as you is kind of irrelevant when it comes to building community and being part of a community,” he said. “That’s, honestly, what I love most about Door County is that it’s very community focused. I see it every day when I work here. You don’t vet people at the door. You just come in and talk to them because they’re your neighbors and they’re the people who are going to help you mow your lawn if you need to or pick up your mail or whatever it is.”
Door County may have been a reliable bellwether of who wins the oval office. It may also be an example of how to keep a sense of community intact.